2024-10-03 06:25:03
Liverpool secured a comfortable 2-0 win over Bologna at Anfield, to continue their flawless start to the 2024/25 Champions League season.
Alexis Mac Allister struck after just 11 minutes, with Mohamed Salah adding another in the second half to put the game beyond Bologna.
The Reds began their European campaign in an impressive manner, easily beating AC Milan 3-1 at the San Siro in what will be one of their most difficult fixtures of the competition’s new league phase.
However, with teams including Real Madrid and German champions Bayer Leverkusen to come, Arne Slot has already secured a crucial three points in his first European night at Anfield.
Bologna have lost both a manager and some key players since qualifying for the competition last season, and they currently languishing in 13th place in Serie A with just seven points, having drawn their opening Champions League match 0-0 with Shakhtar Donetsk.
Follow all the latest build-up, team news and updates below, as well as the reaction to the evening’s other Champions League matches:
Liverpool face Bologna in their second match of the Champions League league phase, with kick-off at 8pm BST | Live on TNT
The Reds host the Italian side having won the first game of their campaign 3-1 against AC Milan at the San Siro
Bologna drew their first game in the competition 0-0 with Shakhtar Donetsk
Liverpool XI: Alisson, Van Dijk, Konate, Diaz, Szoboszlai, Nunez, Mac Allister, Salah, Robertson, Gravenberch, Alexander-Arnold
GOAL! Alexis Mac Allister scores – LIV 1-0 BOL [11’]
Half time: Liverpool 1-0 Bologna
GOAL! Mohamed Salah scores second – LIV 2-0 BOL [75’]
Full time: Liverpool 2-0 Bologna
Liverpool FC 2 – 0 Bologna FC 1909
22:22 , Sonia Twigg
Mac Allister said to TNT Sports: “I’m really happy personally but for the team. He [Alisson] made some good saves. Sometimes I think we need to defend better, at least Ali showed how good he is. I’m happy for him and for the team.”
On his goal: “Yeah to be fair it is quite hard [to miss] you could. A goal is a goal, in this team when we make a run Mo [Salah] can see everything. Really happy for him, I think it was a good night for everyone.
On still transitioning to life under Arne Slot: “It is clear we are in transition, we are happy with the ideas, we are trying to get there. There is room for improvement, that’s why we work very hard every day.”
21:51 , Sonia Twigg
Full time: Illing-Junior has a good chance with a volley at the edge of the box but cannot direct it goalwards, and that will be the final moment of action.
Ultimately Liverpool were the better side and deserved the three points, although Bologna had a goal disallowed for offside and their intensity did cause problems.
Job done for Liverpool, and their flawless start to the Champions League continues.
21:48 , Sonia Twigg
90 minutes: There are three minutes of added time and Bologna have a free-kick just outside the Liverpool box.
Orsolini takes it and it deflects from the wall behind for a corner.
21:45 , Sonia Twigg
87 minutes: The Bologna manager is just letting frustrations get the better of him as he punches the dugout chair while his side fail to beat the first man from a free kick.
21:40 , Sonia Twigg
82 minutes: The intensity has just gone slightly after Liverpool’s second goal, but Bologna are keeping their high press and they have shown in this match that they can be dangerous.
21:36 , Sonia Twigg
79 minutes: Bologna make two changes after their defence was stretched again, giving Liverpool another chance before the flag went up.
21:32 , Sonia Twigg
75 minutes: GOAL! What an incredible strike from Mohamed Salah!
He curls the ball into the corner to double Liverpool’s advantage.
21:30 , Sonia Twigg
73 minutes: Szoboszlai attempts an unorthodox scorpion kick to try and play Salah in and it almost works, but the ball was just slightly too far ahead of the Egyptian winger.
21:26 , Sonia Twigg
69 minutes: Gakpo and Tsimikas seemingly getting ready to come on as Arne Slot prepares to make another round of substitutions.
21:23 , Sonia Twigg
66 minutes: Another ball from Szoboszlai across the box is just out of reach of Diaz.
Liverpool still have their slender lead.
21:21 , Sonia Twigg
64 minutes: Salah curls a chance narrowly wide of the target, and Liverpool have come close, but still not added a second in the game so far.
21:20 , Sonia Twigg
62 minutes: Diogo Jota comes on for Darwin Nunez, that seems pre-planned at bang on the hour mark, but can the new Liverpool forward find the second that has alluded them so far.
21:17 , Sonia Twigg
60 minutes: Liverpool have a corner and a chance to add to their lead but it fails to beat the first man, and Salah’s second delivery is also intercepted.
21:14 , Sonia Twigg
57 minutes: Bologna have a chance to counter-attack and they manage to carve out a shot with Urbanski firing well wide of the shot, which was always rising, but it was a good chance.
21:10 , Sonia Twigg
53 minutes: Liverpool have had most of the ball since the restart, and there’s another chance to build, but Diaz’s ball is intercepted before it finds Robertson and the attack is thwarted.
21:08 , Sonia Twigg
50 minutes: Liverpool commit forward and pass it around but Bologna have a lot of players back and the reds are struggling to find a way through.
Mac Allister tries to find Alexander-Arnold but he takes a heavy touch and the goalkeeper smothers the ball.
21:04 , Sonia Twigg
47 minutes: Nunez has a chance! The cross from Salah was floated and just too far behind the striker and he cannot get enough power on it.
21:02 , Sonia Twigg
46 minutes: Liverpool get the second half underway
20:52 , Sonia Twigg
Here are some photos from the first half:
20:47 , Sonia Twigg
Half time: Liverpool go into the break with the lead, but there were enough chances for Bologna that the reds and Arne Slot will want to address as they go into the second half.
20:43 , Sonia Twigg
42 minutes: Salah goes down in the box but the referee is not drawn into giving anything.
Both sets of players may well be looking forward to half time with how energetic this match has been.
20:39 , Sonia Twigg
39 minutes: Konate and Beukema have both been shown yellow cards for a bit of pushing and shoving for a Liverpool corner which is punched away by the goalkeeper.
20:37 , Sonia Twigg
37 minutes: Since the Bologna onslaught, the game has calmed down a bit slightly as Liverpool have the chance to build again, but Diaz’s touch lets him down and the visitors are able to clear.
20:33 , Sonia Twigg
33 minutes: Save! Alisson has to be alert to push the shot from Urbanski wide!
Liverpool are weathering the storm a bit after their early possession.
20:32 , Sonia Twigg
32 minutes: Post! Bologna have just grown into this game, and Liverpool don’t look entirely comfortable playing out from the back.
The shot rebounds off the post and Liverpool have been handed a let off.
20:31 , Sonia Twigg
The latest from Karl Matchett:
Three times in attempting to play short from goal kicks, Liverpool have lost possession – Alisson is complaining that he’s not being given the right options, though Slot has already spoken that at times he must be ready to go more direct if that’s the case. A fortunate escape from the second occasion, as Konate deflected the effort onto the bar, but the home side’s defensive concerns so far have been largely of their own making.
20:29 , Sonia Twigg
29 minutes: Chance! Nunez tries his luck at the other end of the pitch, driving forwards and then shooting rather than passing, but the shot was always rising and sails over the bar.
20:29 , Sonia Twigg
28 minutes: Woodwork! A loose ball from Liverpool has been capitalised on by Bologna who take the shot, it deflects onto the crossbar and goes out of play.
That was a bit of a let off for Liverpool.
20:26 , Sonia Twigg
26 minutes: Virgil Van Dijk has been shown a yellow card for an arm in the neck of a Bologna player.
It might be a bit harsh.
20:23 , Sonia Twigg
23 minutes: Nunez has a shot, it drops perfectly for him, but the angle was too tight and he didn’t get the contact with the ball he would have wanted and fires straight at the goalkeeper.
20:19 , Sonia Twigg
19 minutes: Chance! Liverpool probably should have scored, it was almost perfect for Szoboszlai at the far post but that was a big chance missed for Liverpool.
Bologna are struggling to contain the threat of Salah down the right.
20:17 , Sonia Twigg
16 minutes: Offside goal! Darwin Nunez has the ball in the back of the net but it has been flagged for offside, he just didn’t hold back enough when starting his run, that would have been the ideal opportunity to go 2-0 up.
20:15 , Sonia Twigg
Here’s the take so far from our reporter Karl Matchett at Anfield:
It hasn’t quite been one-way traffic, but Liverpool have looked comfortable and confident from the get-go and their midfield is well on top – it’s no surprise that two key components from that area of the pitch combined for the opening goal. Some of the switches of play from defence to wing have been excellent, preventing Bologna from squeezing play or staying compact, and Mac Allister’s run from deep has made the most of that space.
20:11 , Sonia Twigg
11 minutes: GOAL! Liverpool have taken the lead!
The cross from Mohamed Salah was inch-perfect and Mac Allister was only a couple of yards out when the ball just glides off his foot and into the net.
20:10 , Sonia Twigg
10 minutes: Goal disallowed! Dallinga has the ball in the back of the net, and thought he had put the visitors ahead at Anfield, but the flag goes up for offside and the goal will not stand.
That’s an early warning for Liverpool though.
20:09 , Sonia Twigg
8 minutes: Liverpool are definitely playing a high press, and Nunez is working hard to chase down the goalkeeper and defenders when they get the ball.
Whether this an early tactic, or if they planning on playing the whole match at this tempo remains to be seen
20:06 , Sonia Twigg
6 minutes: Liverpool have kept up the tempo from their early start, and it is a big night for Darwin Nunez, who has a chance to impress his new manager Arne Slot.
20:02 , Sonia Twigg
2 minutes: It’s a stunning ball across the box and Diaz is just unable to reach it, Bologna nearly turned the ball into their own net, but it has been a high tempo start from Liverpool.
20:00 , Sonia Twigg
1 minute: Bologna kick the game underway
19:58 , Sonia Twigg
The teams are out, the Champions League anthem has been played, and the match is about to get underway.
Some sections of the Liverpool crowd booed the Champions League anthem.
19:54 , Sonia Twigg
You’ll Never Walk Alone is being played and sung around the ground and the players are about to emerge from the tunnel.
19:52 , Sonia Twigg
The match will get underway in just 10 minutes’ time so here are some photos from around the ground as the atmosphere heats up:
19:45 , Chris Wilson
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Arne Slot said that he sees “things we have to improve if we want to stay where we are”.
“Every fixture is difficult in the Premier League and we have to do things better. But one of the reasons we can stay up there is we have a lot of quality.
He went on to add that Liverpool “cannot accept mediocrity” and need to show “the highest standards every day”.
On Bologna, he said: “We know how difficult it is to play against a team that man mark.
“We don’t underestimate them at all because that is not what they deserve after their finish last season.”
He finished by adding that he is hoping for “a special night for everyone involved”.
19:30 , Chris Wilson
Bologna will be Liverpool’s 10th different Italian opponent in European competition, after Inter Milan, Juventus, Roma, Genoa, Milan, Fiorentina, Napoli, Udinese, and Atalanta.
The Reds have lost three of their last five at home to Italian sides (W2).
Liverpool have won each of their last 10 group or league stage games at Anfield in major European competitions.
They have scored two or more goals in their last nine in a row. Their last defeat was to an Italian side – they lost 0-2 to Atalanta in November 2020.
The Reds also lost 3-0 to Atalanta in the quarter-finals of the Europa League last season.
Mohamed Salah could become the first Liverpool player to score in five consecutive home games in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League. He has scored in all four of his appearances at Anfield in his previous season in this competition (four goals in 2022/23).
19:20 , Chris Wilson
As Arne Slot looked forward to his first European night at Anfield, Alexis Mac Allister harked back to his Champions League bow. Which was all of two weeks ago. As the Liverpool midfielder noted, it is remarkable he had won the World Cup before even playing in the premier club competition. “For some people it was a surprise I won a World Cup but I made my debut against [AC] Milan in the Champions League so it is quite crazy,” the Argentina international said.
But, swift as Mac Allister’s rise was, it was nonetheless a sign of Liverpool’s enduring appeal that they could recruit him when in the Europa League. Slot was in the Champions League last season but, while Jurgen Klopp is a Champions League winner and four-time finalist, his predecessor was not.
The Dutchman nevertheless has particular reasons to relish Bologna’s visit to Anfield. “I am privileged enough to work at Feyenoord where Champions League nights last season were also really special. People tell me it will be even more special here tomorrow,” he said.
Slot’s perfectionism will be defining factor of Liverpool’s Champions League campaign
19:10 , Chris Wilson
These two sides have never previously met in a competitive fixture.
The Reds currently sit 12th in the Champions League’s new league phase table, though they have played a game less than many teams. In the Premier League, Slot’s side sit top of the league with 15 points, one above both Arsenal and Manchester City.
Bologna are seven-time winners of Serie A and finished fourth last season, though they are struggling in 13th this season, with just seven points. They have lost several key personnel since last season, including manager Thiago Motta (who moved to Juventus) and Manchester United signing Joshua Zirkzee.
19:00 , Chris Wilson
Heading into the first few weeks of the new Premier League season, one of the most frequent questions aimed Arne Slot’s way was that of rotation. At Feyenoord, he candidly explained, there was little reason to switch up his first team too much; fewer league games, one fewer domestic cup to navigate and more difficulty in reaching the latter stages of Europe. His final campaign at the Eredivisie side saw Slot’s team play only 48 matches – and that included the Johan Cruyff Shield, the Dutch season-opener, and going the distance to win the KNVB Cup.
A few weeks later and the new Liverpool boss has shown a deft hand at altering his lineup without, so far, dramatically reducing the quality on show; while the performance against West Ham was somewhat stutteringafter nine changes, so too was the win over Wolves with a regular first XI in place.
League Cup aside, Slot has shown an early preference for making a couple of switches, keeping the bulk of his starters in situ and letting others find form and push for places two or three at a time. Cody Gakpowas perhaps the first to stake his claim; more recently, Curtis Jones has done likewise.
The unintended effect of the new Champions League – and why Liverpool can benefit
18:48 , Sonia Twigg
Liverpool made one change, with Darwin Nunez starting against Bologna and Diogo Jota on the bench.
Liverpool XI: Alisson, Van Dijk, Konate, Diaz, Szoboszlai, Nunez, Mac Allister, Salah, Robertson, Gravenberch, Alexander-Arnold
Subs: Jaros, Kelleher, Gomez, Endo, Jones, Gakpo, Jota, Tsimikas, Quansah, Morton, Bradley, Nyoni
18:38 , Chris Wilson
The line-ups will be announced in just under 10 minutes, but here’s a reminder of the early team news.
The Reds have Alisson back and have three potential absentees as a result. Harvey Elliott is definitely out, while Federico Chiesa has suffered a muscular injury that could rule him out until the international break. Darwin Nunez, who missed the weekend game through illness, is the other doubt.
Lewis Ferguson, Oussama El Azzouzi and Tommaso Pobega are the three likely absentees for Bologna.
18:30 , Chris Wilson
Liverpool forward Federico Chiesa has suffered an injury blow that denies him a first Champions League night at Anfield and could rule him out until the international break.
The Italy international has a muscular problem that means he will sit out Wednesday’s game against Bologna and makes him a doubt for Saturday’s trip to Crystal Palace.
Manager Arne Slot believes it will be a particular blow for Chiesa, a £10m summer signing from Juventus, to miss a match against against a team from his home country.
Liverpool suffer Chiesa injury blow – but another forward set to return
18:20 , Chris Wilson
A “big Champions League night” that ended up being quite a nice run-out for Arsenal. Qatari-owned Paris Saint-Germain looked less a sportswashing project and more a youth project. The level of superiority in this 2-0 win is again to Arsenal’s credit, but should also be a worry for Uefa.
This was one of the big-name fixtures that the new Champions League was sold on – more games between the best, more fixtures, more, more, more – and yet it didn’t really feel like either side treated it as a match of much consequence. It was a world away, say, from 2000-01 when Lyon came to North London and Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal absolutely knew they had to do something.
If it is by now becoming tedious to read about these issues, it is worth remembering that such themes only arise because very little of consequence happens on the pitch. Here, in just the second of eight games, Arsenal got the win that already puts them more than halfway to the top 24.
How the Champions League surrendered its competitive edge
18:10 , Chris Wilson
Odds
Liverpool 1/6
Draw 6/1
Bologna 14/1
Prediction
The Reds to record another home victory against a side struggling to match their own exploits of last term.
Liverpool 2-0 Bologna.
18:05 , Chris Wilson
LIV – Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Gomez, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Salah, Jones, Gakpo, Jota
BOL – Skorupski, Posch, Beukema, Lucumi, Lykogiannis, Freuler, Aebischer, Urbanski, Orsolini, Castro, Ndoye
18:00 , Chris Wilson
The Reds have Alisson back and have only two potential absentees as a result – Harvey Elliott, who is definitely out, and Darwin Nunez, who missed the weekend game through illness.
Lewis Ferguson, Oussama El Azzouzi and Tommaso Pobega are the three likely absentees for Bologna.
17:50 , Chris Wilson
When is the match?
The match kicks off at 8pm BST on Wednesday 2 October at Anfield.
Where can I watch it?
All Champions League games are shown on TNT Sports in the UK. This game is on TNT Sports 2 and can be streamed for subscribers on the discovery+ app.
You can purchase a TNT Sports subscription via discovery+ here, for only £30.99 per month.
17:40 , Chris Wilson
Liverpool will attempt to make it two wins from two in the new-look Champions League, with their first home encounter of the European campaign coming against Serie A side Bologna.
The Reds won in relative comfort at the weekend despite a poor overall performance against Wolves, but have generally been impressive this term and sit top of the Premier League table. They also saw off another Italian outfit in AC Milan in the first gameweek in Europe.
Bologna haven’t faced Milan yet in their domestic league, but they sit four points behind them and nine places lower in the table after managing just two wins from six to-date, 12th following a home draw with Atalanta at the weekend.
Arne Slot may opt to change one or two from his starting lineup following a low-key weekend outing, particularly given the lack of real concern over progression from this stage of the Champions League.
17:31 , Chris Wilson
Good evening and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of tonight’s Champions League match between Liverpool and Bologna.
Arne Slot’s side face another Italian side in their second match in the competition this season, having put in an impressive performance in their opener as they beat AC Milan 3-1 at the San Siro.
Bologna have had a mixed start to the season and drew their opener 0-0 to Shakhtar Donetsk, though a trip to Anfield is certain to give them another gear in tonight’s match.
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