Sports Mole previews Sunday’s Serie A clash between Atalanta BC and Sassuolo, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
After finally finding a win in midweek, Atalanta BC will aim to kickstart their Serie A campaign on Sunday, when they welcome Sassuolo to Bergamo.
Both teams have 13 points on the board so far, but the Nerazzurri are expected to challenge for Europe while their visitors were only promoted back to the big time in May.
Match preview
Stuck in mid-table with more than a quarter of the Serie A season behind them, Atalanta lost for the first time in the league last weekend, ending a nine-match unbeaten streak across all competitions.
The Bergamaschi were beaten 1-0 by Udinese without recording a shot on target, having previously posted seven draws and just two wins on the domestic scene – their fewest victories at this stage for more than a decade.
Meanwhile, Ivan Juric‘s team had won only one of their first three matches in the Champions League, turning up the pressure on Wednesday night’s clash with Marseille.
In France, they snatched three precious points at the death, overcoming Charles De Ketelaere‘s missed penalty to beat their hosts: in the 90th minute, substitute Lazar Samardzic embarked on a solo run before netting a trademark finish from outside the box.
With no time to reflect on that success, Atalanta must now play host in their final fixture before the international break – and they are still unbeaten on home turf.
The precedent definitely suggests La Dea can sign off in style, having won seven consecutive home games against Sassuolo, scoring at least twice each time.
Indeed, Sassuolo have lost no fewer than 11 of their last 14 Serie A matches against Atalanta, including both in their relegation season of 2023-24.
Since then, the Emilian club have bounced back strongly under Fabio Grosso, who led them to the Serie B title before making a seamless return to Italy’s top flight.
Sassuolo sit alongside Sunday’s hosts on 13 points – well clear of the drop zone – despite losing to previously winless Genoa last time out.
On Monday night, Grosso’s men were cruelly defeated at home by a stoppage-time goal, after Domenico Berardi‘s second-half strike had seemed to rescue a point.
Nonetheless, the Neroverdi are unbeaten in three away games before heading to Lombardy, and they will try to capitalise on any uncertainty surrounding their hosts’ head coach.
Atalanta BC Serie A form:
D D D D D L
Atalanta BC form (all competitions):
D D D D L W
Sassuolo Serie A form:
W W D L W L
Team News
Already facing speculation that he might be sacked for the third time in a year, it remains to be seen how Juric will react to an incident with Atalanta’s star forward Ademola Lookman in Marseille.
When the latter was frustrated at his substitution, La Dea’s boss pulled the player’s arm and they had to be separated; even so, Lookman will surely make his 100th Serie A appearance on Sunday.
The hosts’ long absence list has continued to clear, as captain Marten de Roon was back in the starting XI on Wednesday and Daniel Maldini has returned to training.
While Juric should have almost his whole squad available – with the exception of Mitchel Bakker – Sassuolo are still missing several men.
Cristian Volpato and Filippo Romagna recently joined Daniel Boloca, Laurs Skjellerup and long-term absentee Edoardo Pieragnolo on the sidelines.
Nevertheless, injury-prone winger Berardi should be present, and he will aim to up his tally of four Serie A goal involvements this season, plus six career strikes against Atalanta.
Atalanta BC possible starting lineup:
Carnesecchi; Kossounou, Hien, Djimsiti; Bellanova, De Roon, Ederson, Zalewski; Samardzic, Lookman; Krstovic
Sassuolo possible starting lineup:
Muric; Walukiewicz, Idzes, Muharemovic, Doig; Thorstvedt, Matic, Kone; Berardi, Pinamonti, Lauriente
We say: Atalanta BC 1-1 Sassuolo
More draw disappointment awaits Atalanta, as the Nerazzurri are still struggling to score goals while their visitors have been quite solid on the road so far.
Always posing a real threat up front, Sassuolo are past masters at upsetting Italy’s top six, so they can leave Lombardy with one point.
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