Things to watch for in the Champions League visit from Bologna

As the days have turned into hours until kickoff between Liverpool and Bologna in the Champions League on Wednesday, the excitement of a UCL night at Anfield is palpable.

Liverpool carry a lot of momentum into the match while their visitors have had middling results to this point in the season.

Having said that, we know anything can happen on a European night so Arne Slot will need his crew to come out ready and focused to avoid any slip-up. There will be several interesting things to follow as always, but I have picked out some things that I believe will be important on Wednesday night.

1. Can Bologna handle the moment?

For players that have never experienced playing at Anfield at anytime, they always come back speaking of the aura and intimidating atmosphere and pressure you feel as a traveling player.

However, you have to amplify that experience tenfold for a Champions League game. A club like Bologna is not used to playing in these types of matches so Liverpool will surely have a mental edge right from the very beginning.

If Vincenzo Italiano can get his charges to withstand the early onslaught that is sure to come for the Reds, maybe they have a chance of snatching a result.

It will be interesting to see if they lineup with an aggressive strategy and try to play on the front foot much like Atalanta did in the Europa League Quarterfinal, or if they will sit back and absorb pressure before trying to strike on the counter.

One thing is for certain, if Liverpool scores early this could see Bologna crumble and things could get ugly really quickly.

2. Will there be another Gravenberch masterclass?

One of the brightest stories of the early season has been the magnificent form of Ryan Gravenberch playing in a midfield pivot role under Slot.

He has been arguably Liverpool's Player of the Season to this point and the sky appears to be the limit for him on this current trajectory.

Should he be in the lineup on Wednesday, and I fully expect he will be, he will play an important role in his side controlling proceedings and cutting out any potential dangers on the break. His reading of the game defensively has been spot-on thus far and it will need to be on display again in this one.

His versatility to drop deep and break up a play to then carry the ball all the way to the opposing penalty area with confidence is something not very many players can offer.

He's afforded this freedom in the Slot system and he has used it to maximize his output on the pitch every single time out.

Look for a few interceptions from Gravenberch before he drives the team forward to keep Bologna hemmed in their own half for the majority of proceedings.

It's no guarantee, but he should be one of the more influential players on the pitch in this one once again.

3. The healthy battle between Gakpo and Diaz for minutes

Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz are two more players that have stepped up their levels in the early days under Arne Slot as they have had several standout performances to date.

Gakpo was sterling in the Champions League opening win over AC Milan as he was a menace down the left-flank cutting inside and being a real danger for the hosts to handle.

Diaz has seemingly found his scoring boots for the first time in his Reds career as he looks to be playing the best football of his career to this point after there were rumblings he would move on over the summer.

With both players in such good form, Slot has been able to consistently rotate them in and out to make sure each player stays fresh for the long haul while still allowing them to get minutes when they are playing so well.

Either guy getting the start against Bologna would be more than justifiable, so it truly is a win-win for Slot in that area of the pitch at the very least.

When two players in the same position play well, they push each other to maintain that level or improve and that is what we are seeing right now as the phrase "iron sharpens iron" comes to mind.

No matter which one of them starts, they will be must-see TV on Wednesday and might be a good bet to nab a goal or an assist.