Napoli vs Bologna: Allegri's Crisis Match
Naples braces for a crisis afternoon. At the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, SSC Napoli host Bologna on Sunday, September 13, 2026, with kick-off at 12:00 p.m. local time – and with Massimiliano Allegri already coaching under a harsh spotlight.
Allegri under fire
Three defeats in a row have stripped away the early-season optimism around Allegri’s arrival. The move from Antonio Conte’s rigid 3-5-2 to Allegri’s preferred 4-3-3 has looked anything but seamless, and the results have been brutal.
Napoli’s only competitive win in their last five outings is a 2-0 success at Genoa in Serie A. Since then, they’ve fallen 1-2 to Como, 2-3 to Inter, and 0-1 to Arsenal in the Champions League. Three straight losses, three goals scored, six conceded. For Allegri, it is already the most damaging spell of his tenure.
A home slip against Bologna would not just sting. It would ignite the debate over his future.
Injuries bite, squad stretched
Allegri’s problems are not just tactical. His squad is thin, and the injury list is unforgiving.
Alisson Santos suffered a medium-grade biceps femoris tear against Arsenal and is not expected back until October. Alex Meret also limped out of that same defeat at half-time with a muscular issue, forcing a change in goal. The absentees pile up: Alessandro Buongiorno, Luca Marianucci, Scott McTominay, Giovane Nascimento, Meret, and Alisson Santos are all unavailable.
The projected Napoli XI reflects the strain: Contini; Marin, Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Spinazzola; Anguissa, Lobotka, Vergara; Politano, Hoejlund, Neres.
One subplot stands out. Noa Lang, omitted from the Arsenal matchday squad for non-sporting reasons, is suddenly back in the frame. With Alisson Santos sidelined, Lang is among the leading contenders to start on the right of Allegri’s front three. From the stands to a potential starting role in a week – it’s a sharp turn in his early-season story.
Bologna arrive wounded too
Bologna do not come to Naples in good health either.
Domenico Tedesco is suspended for this fixture, leaving his staff to handle a tricky away assignment without their head coach on the touchline. On the pitch, the form line is just as concerning: one win in their last five across all competitions, and that solitary victory came before the competitive season even kicked off.
Their Serie A campaign has started flat. A 0-1 defeat to Atalanta, another 0-1 loss to Lazio, and a 2-2 draw at home to Sassuolo have left Bologna winless in three league games. Across their last five fixtures, they have scored three and conceded four, a team that keeps games tight but rarely seizes control.
Tedesco’s options are also clipped by injuries. Oussama El Azzouzi and Riccardo Orsolini are both out, removing two important pieces from his plan. Skorupski is expected to start in goal, with Bernardeschi, Ferguson, and Odgaard providing the creative and running power behind a front line of Cambiaghi and Piccoli.
Bologna sit 16th in Serie A. Napoli are only slightly better off in 12th. For both, this is not just another early-season fixture. It is a test of nerve.
A recent history that favours neither
The Maradona has already seen this matchup tilt away from Napoli in recent memory. On 11 May 2026, Bologna came here and won 3-2 in Serie A, a result that still lingers for the home crowd.
Across the last five meetings between the clubs, the record is perfectly balanced: two wins for Napoli, two for Bologna, and one draw. Napoli claimed a 2-0 victory in the Super Cup in December 2025, but Bologna hit back with a 2-0 home win in the league a month earlier, in November 2025.
Nothing about this rivalry suggests a formality. Not for Allegri, not for Tedesco’s men.
Where to watch in the United States
For viewers in the United States, Napoli vs Bologna will be broadcast and streamed across multiple platforms. The game is available live on:
- Fubo
- UNIVERSO
- Paramount+
- DirecTV Stream
- Peacock
- CBS Sports Network
Fans can choose from traditional TV coverage or streaming services, depending on their setup and subscription.
Watching from abroad
Supporters travelling outside their home country may run into geo-restrictions when trying to access their usual services. A Virtual Private Network (VPN) offers a workaround by creating a secure, encrypted connection and virtually switching your location to a region where the game is available.
The basic process is straightforward: sign up for a reputable VPN provider, install the app, connect to a server in the desired country, clear your browser cookies if necessary, then head to your broadcaster’s site or app and start the stream. The same approach can be extended to the big screen by running the VPN on a device connected to your TV.
Stakes at both ends of the table
Strip away the early-season caveat and the table tells its own story. Napoli in 12th, Bologna in 16th. One club trying to adjust to a new era under Allegri, the other trying to find stability under Tedesco amid a stuttering start and a touchline ban.
Napoli need a performance to stop the slide and quieten the noise around their manager. Bologna need proof that their season is not destined to be a grind from the outset.
At the Maradona, with both teams wounded and wary, someone has to blink.
