Sports Mole previews Saturday’s Serie A clash between Udinese and Atalanta BC, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Serie A’s draw specialists will seek a rare win on Saturday, as Atalanta BC travel north to meet mid-table Udinese.
La Dea dominated local rivals AC Milan in midweek but ultimately settled for one point, while crisis club Juventus beat the Fruilani.
Match preview
Still the only unbeaten team left in Serie A this season, Atalanta are also Italy’s stalemate specialists, taking a single point from seven of their nine league games.
Across all competitions, the Bergamaschi have only suffered one loss so far – away to European champions Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League – but they are struggling to convert their chances.
Last weekend, La Dea drew 1-1 with regional rivals Cremonese, and they hosted another Lombardy side on Tuesday evening, when Milan made the short trip to Bergamo.
Despite falling behind early on, Atalanta pulled themselves level through Ademola Lookman’s fierce finish – his first goal since an unseemly summer transfer saga.
Ivan Juric later lamented that his team failed to win, having produced 17 attempts and had more of the ball, and they have now drawn all of their last five domestic fixtures – plus one in the Champions League.
That frustrating run leaves them trailing their fellow European hopefuls in Serie A, one point above 10th-placed Udinese.
Not only have Saturday’s hosts won just one of their last nine home games against Atalanta, but they are also winless in the last 15 league meetings all told.
Such a record suggests they may find life hard this weekend, but it has been a relatively bright start to the season so far.
Following an entertaining 3-2 victory over Lecce last week, Udinese squared off with Juventus as equals in the league standings, having accrued 12 points from eight matches.
The Friulani sat just behind Juve on goal difference, and with less than 30 minutes remaining they were on level terms in Turin, after Nicolo Zaniolo’s goal during first-half stoppage time had made it 1-1.
However, their ailing hosts – who recently sacked ex-Udinese coach Igor Tudor – then found a second wind and went on to win 3-1, after peppering Maduka Okoye’s goal with a barrage of shots.
Now occupying 10th spot, Kosta Runjaic and co head home to Udine, where they have won only once in the league this season.
Udinese Serie A form:
L L D D W L
Udinese form (all competitions):
W L D D W L
Atalanta BC Serie A form:
W D D D D D
Atalanta BC form (all competitions):
W D D D D D
Team News
Atalanta’s long injury list has cleared up somewhat, but they suffered a setback in midweek, as captain Marten de Roon limped out of the draw with Milan.
Having been replaced by Marco Brescianini on Tuesday evening, it remains to be seen whether he can recover for Saturday’s match, so Mario Pasalic or Yunus Musah may have to partner Ederson in central midfield.
Meanwhile, up front, misfiring strikers Gianluca Scamacca and Nikola Krstovic were both left on the bench; with Juric confirming that was a technical decision, Lookman may again lead La Dea’s attack.
Alongside De Roon, Sead Kolasinac, Mitchel Bakker, Daniel Maldini and Giorgio Scalvini are also unavailable, while Udinese will be without Thomas Kristensen, who is still sidelined by a thigh problem.
Three-goal top scorer Keinan Davis picked up a minor knock on Tuesday so may miss out; Adam Buksa and Vakoun Bayo will vie to spearhead the Fruilani’s front line,
Another injury-prone forward, former Atalanta loanee Zaniolo, is set to partner either centre-forward.
Udinese possible starting lineup:
Okoye; Goglichidze Kabasele, Solet; Zanoli, Lovric, Karlstrom, Atta, Kamara; Zaniolo, Bayo
Atalanta BC possible starting lineup:
Carnesecchi; Kossounou, Hien, Djimsiti; Bellanova, Ederson, Pasalic, Zappacosta; Samardzic, Sulemana; Lookman
We say: Udinese 1-1 Atalanta BC
There may be more draw misery for Atalanta, who have proved tough to beat but still lack a razor-sharp cutting edge.
Udinese have scored in all but one of their league and cup games this season, so they should find the net at least once and hold out for a point.
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