Francesco Pio Esposito is set to replace the injured Lautaro Martinez alongside Marcus Thuram as Inter visit Bologna looking to respond to their Champions League defeat.

It kicks off at 18:00 CET [17:00 BST] at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara in Bologna.

Inter are level with Lazio at the top of Serie A on 16 points, but arrive after Tuesday’s 4-3 home defeat to Club Brugge. Raffaele Palladino’s Bologna picked up their first win of the season against Lecce last time out. The sides drew 3-3 at the Dall’Ara in May.

ITALY – OCTOBER 11: Jay Enem of Bologna FC celebrates with his teammates during the Serie A match between US Lecce and Bologna FC at Stadio Via del Mare on October 11, 2026 in Lecce, Italy. (Photo by Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images)

Cristian Chivu is without captain Lautaro, who has a left hamstring strain, and Benjamin Pavard, who has an adductor problem in his right thigh. Bologna are missing Riccardo Orsolini, who injured his hamstring after scoring against Lecce, as well as Emil Holm and Samuel Mbangula. Arthur Theate is fit again.

According to Sky , Pio Esposito is favoured over Ange-Yoan Bonny up front, and Josep Martinez keeps his place in goal ahead of Ivan Provedel. Yann Bisseck, Manuel Akanji and Alessandro Bastoni are expected in defence. Piotr Zielinski is set to play as the deep-lying playmaker, with Hakan Calhanoglu on the bench, and Carlos Augusto is pushing Federico Dimarco on the left.

Fantacalcio , however, expects Luis Henrique and Carlos Augusto to start on the flanks instead of Andy Diouf and Dimarco.

Former Inter defender Matteo Darmian is set to start for Bologna, with Federico Bernardeschi and Nicolò Cambiaghi supporting Piccoli.

From a tactical formation and squad depth perspective, "Série A | Bologna x Inter: prováveis ​​escalações e onde assistir na TV" carries substantial tournament implications for international seeding and domestic campaign momentum. Coaching staffs are heavily weighing high-pressing efficiency (PPDA), defensive transition pace, and fixture fatigue management.

Tactical analysts monitoring Champions League metrics emphasize that squad adaptability and set-piece execution will likely dictate outcomes in high-leverage knockout environments. Real-time match telemetry and tracking data continue to inform managerial decision-making.

Editorial Fact-Check & Verification Note: This briefing was curated, corroborated, and synthesized by the Soccer2026 Global Editorial Desk. Readers following "Série A | Bologna x Inter: prováveis ​​escalações e onde assistir na TV" are encouraged to review the full primary source coverage linked below for complete historical context, direct quotes, and official statements.