AC Milan vs Bologna Prediction: 18/5 for Rabiot to rabble-rouse on Rossoneri debut

With blank midweeks ahead thanks to a lack of European football, AC Milan will look to make the most of the next few weeks in Serie A. And that starts on Sunday when then host Bologna at San Siro (20:45 local, 19:45 BST, live on Betfred.com and DAZN).

The Rossoneri were hugely disappointing on the opening night when losing to Cremonese but bounced back to win at Lecce. My AC Milan vs Bologna predictions, which follow below with full team news and Betfred’s match odds, will expect a refreshed home side making the most of their chances.

Team News

Milan boss Massimiliano Allegri will be tempted to call up his two new signings Adrien Rabiot and Christopher Nkunku.

The latter showed only mercurial flashes at Chelsea but arrived at San Siro on deadline day with a fresh opportunity to make further strides at the top level.

Meanwhile, Rabiot’s time at Marseille was done after being transfer-listed by coach Roberto De Zerbi following a public brawl with teammate Jonathan Rowe… of whom more later.

Rafael Leao is unlikely to have 90 minutes in his legs after a calf problem so will probably be on the bench, with Santi Gimenez expected to start for a third successive match.

Rabiot’s adversary in the scrap which led to his Marseille exit, Jonathan Rowe, could make his Bologna debut up against the Frenchman. The ex-Norwich City star, also transfer-listed following the fight, landed in Emilia Romagna before the window shut.

He could get game time due in part to the continued absence of Ciro Immobile, who suffered a thigh injury in the defeat at Roma on matchday one.

Another new signing, Ibrahim Sulemana, is unavailable due to a medial ligament injury he picked up when training with Ghana during the international break.

AC Milan vs Bologna Odds

Milan are being backed to build on that 2-0 victory at Lecce before the pause, with Betfred making them 9/10 for the victory on Sunday evening.

Bologna can be backed for a repeat of their Coppa Italia triumph over the Rossoneri at 16/5, with the draw a 12/5 chance.

You can take up Betfred on the two-up early payout, with Milan available at 4/5 and Bologna 14/5.

Santi Gimenez leads the goalscorer odds, with the Argentine-born Mexico international 4/1 to open the scoring and 11/8 to bag a goal at any time. Fellow front man Christian Pulisic is 5/1 for the first goal (9/5 anytime).

Today's Football Fixtures

Milan to win to nil @ 2/1

Well aware of Milan’s recent difficulties as I am, I have been thoroughly unimpressed by Bologna so far this season.

They actually weren’t too bad against Roma but just seemed to have no attacking threat once Immobile went off injured.

And then against Como they created very little once more and rode their luck either side of Riccardo Orsolini’s winner.

Four shots on target in two games tells a story, and while Milan came unstuck against a Cremonese side which created just three openings, that shouldn’t happen twice this early.

Milan last time out were far better, and looked to have earned the lead long before their eventual opener when Matteo Gabbia’s header was ruled out by VAR.

It was only a matter of time before they saw off Lecce, and that’s far more akin to the performance I’m expecting from Allegri’s troops here.

Serie A Odds

Adrien Rabiot to receive a card @ 18/5

Rabiot’s story has never been a linear one, as so often happens with players represented professionally be family members.

His mother Veronique launched quite the broadside at Marseille following her boy’s departure from the Stade Velodrome, and the hope is that life will be a little quieter for Adrien now that he’s back under the care of his former Juventus boss Allegri.

But to potentially start off his Milan career up against Jonathan Rowe is one hell of a twist. And while the Englishman is more than likely to be a substitute, all eyes will be on Rabiot given the explosiveness of his Marseille exit.

I fancy the midfielder to pick up a card on debut, having been cautioned an average of 7.2 times per season during his previous five-year spell in Serie A at Juve.

The 18/5 price indicates a 21.7% presumed probability. And wouldn’t it be poetic if it was a foul on Rowe which did it.

You can read all our latest Football Betting Tips at our dedicated Betfred Insights content hub.