Atalanta and AS Roma will meet at the New Balance Arena on Saturday in an important Serie A match.
AS Roma is eager to end their winless streak against Atalanta, having not won in their last six meetings.
Atalanta vs AS Roma – Match preview and team news
- Date: Saturday, 3rd January.
- Kick-off: 7:45pm BST
- Venue: New Balance Arena, Bergamo.
Atalanta team news
Atalanta faces a setback with star winger Ademola Lookman absent as he is with Nigeria for the Africa Cup of Nations.
Defensive midfielder Odilon Kossounou is also unavailable for the same tournament with Ivory Coast. Mitchel Bakker is still recovering from injury, and Raoul Bellanova is expected to be out until mid-January due to a hamstring issue.
On a positive note, Davide Zappacosta has returned to training after a thigh injury and could start against his former club. Isak Hien is also set to participate. The rest of the squad appears ready for the match.
AS Roma team news
AS Roma, led by Gian Piero Gasperini, has a limited squad with five players missing for the trip to Bergamo. The most notable absence is attacking midfielder Tommaso Baldanzi, who is out with a muscle injury from the final training session.
Injuries are affecting the squad as Lorenzo Pellegrini and Leon Bailey will also be sidelined due to hamstring issues. Evan Ndicka and Neil El Aynaoui are away for AFCON duties. To fill the gaps, Gasperini has included young talents Emanuele Lulli (18) and Jacopo Mirra (19) in the squad.
Mario Hermoso has recovered from groin issues and is set to lead the defense. Matías Soulé has also returned to full training and should keep his starting position. Artem Dovbyk is fit after a thigh injury, and Niccolo Pisilli is ready to join the team too.
Gasperini remains confident despite the injuries, stating: “We have several players dealing with injuries, but we expect to have most back soon. Hermoso is in good shape, and we anticipate a full squad for the match.”
Form
Atalanta
Atalanta has shown mixed results lately. The team won against Genoa and Cagliari in December but lost to Inter Milan on December 28. Their overall performance this calendar year has been the weakest since 2016, raising concerns for the manager.
AS Roma
Despite a few challenges before the winter break, Roma has bounced back with a strong performance, winning 3-1 against Genoa on December 29. Goals from Matías Soulé, Manu Koné, and Evan Ferguson showcased the team’s intensity under the new manager.
Roma has established a solid defensive record, conceding only 11 goals in 17 league matches—the lowest in the league—and has maintained the best clean sheet record. They currently sit fourth in the table with 33 points.
Predicted lineups
Atalanta: Carnesecchi; Djimsiti, Hien, Kolasinac; Zalewski, De Roon, Ederson, Bernasconi; De Ketelaere, Pasalic; Scamacca.
AS Roma: Svilar; Mancini, Ziolkowski, Hermoso; Celik, Kone, Cristante, Wesley; Soule, Dybala; Ferguson.
How to watch Atalanta vs AS Roma?
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on DAZN.
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