Even though Lukasz Skorupski saved Florian Thauvin's penalty kick to start the season, Bologna lost a home draw to strong Udinese, although they squandered a lot of opportunities.
Despite losing key players and head coach Thiago Motta, the Rossoblu exceeded expectations last season by finishing in fifth place and qualifying for the Champions League. Here, Vincenzo Italiano was forced to make due without the injured Lewis Ferguson, Jhon Lucumi, Emil Holm, Oussama El Azzouzi, and Kacper Urbanski, as well as the partially fit Lorenzo De Silvestri and Michael Aebischer. In the Coppa Italia opening, Udinese, under new coach Kosta Runjaic, thrashed Avellino 4-0. Alexis Sanchez was not quite ready, Thomas Kristensen had muscle issues, and Lazar Samardzic was released so he could have an Atlanta medical. Riccardo Orsolini, the new captain of Bologna, cut inside to cause a difficult one-handed stop in the near bottom corner.