Sports Mole previews Saturday’s Serie A clash between Cremonese and Atalanta BC, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
The only unbeaten team left in Serie A this season, Atalanta BC will aim to extend that streak on Saturday, when they visit Lombardy rivals Cremonese at Stadio Zini.
Italy’s draw specialists, the Bergamaschi also played out a stalemate in their midweek Champions League contest; meanwhile, newly promoted Cremo lie just one point behind their visitors after an impressive start to their comeback campaign.
Match preview
Having made an uncertain start to life under new management, Atalanta are at least managing to avoid defeat, as new coach Ivan Juric has only suffered one loss so far.
Their sole setback came in the Champions League, away to relentless European champions Paris Saint-Germain, speaking volumes for their resilience.
One of just two teams still unbeaten across Europe’s top five leagues – along with Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich – the Bergamo club have recorded five top-flight draws along the way.
The latest was a 0-0 result at home to Lazio last weekend, and that was followed by the same outcome when La Dea met Slavia Prague on Wednesday evening.
Misfiring strikers Nikola Krstovic and Gianluca Scamacca both missed chances to decide a tight Champions League contest in the hosts’ favour, leaving Atalanta on four points from three league-phase games.
If anything, the Nerazzurri are more comfortable on the road, having won eight of 12 Serie A away matches this calendar year, while conceding a league-low six goals.
Now, they must make the short trip to Cremona, ahead of next Tuesday’s home clash with new leaders AC Milan.
These clubs have met 20 times at Stadio Zini to date, with Cremonese’s most recent win dating all the way back to February 1994.
However, the Grigiorossi may be confident of finally ending that drought, having put together an excellent record on home turf in recent months.
Saturday’s hosts are 11 games unbeaten at the Zini since February, when they were still vying for a place in the Serie B playoffs.
That route took Cremo back to the top flight, where new coach – and proven survival specialist – Davide Nicola has laid some early groundwork to keep his latest team up.
Nicola’s side have lost just one of seven Serie A fixtures this season – a club record at this stage of a top-flight campaign – following last week’s stalemate with Udinese.
Jamie Vardy attracted plenty of press attention as he made his first start for the club, but it was on-loan Milan defender Filippo Terracciano who scored Cremonese’s goal in a 1-1 draw.
Cremonese Serie A form:
W D D D L D
Atalanta BC Serie A form:
D W W D D D
Atalanta BC form (all competitions):
W D W D D D
Team News
Not only did Scamacca return to Atalanta’s squad in midweek, but wing-backs Raoul Bellanova and Nicola Zalewski also made cameo appearances from the bench, and all three are now in contention to start.
Of a previously lengthy absence list, only Mitchel Bakker and Odilon Kossounou are still unavailable, but Giorgio Scalvini has just joined them due to a flexor injury.
Once again, Lazar Samardzic will vie with Kamaldeen Sulemana, Ademola Lookman and Charles De Ketelaere for selection across the final third, though Krstovic and Scamacca offer more conventional options to lead La Dea’s front line.
Meanwhile, Vardy will hope to hold off competition from Franco Vazquez and Antonio Sanabria to keep his place in Cremonese’s attack.
Supplying the bullets will be Belgian playmaker Jari Vandeputte, who has contributed three assists in Serie A this season – he racked up 14 in Italy’s second tier last term.
Only Michele Collocolo (thigh) is definitely sidelined, as goalkeeper Emil Audero (calf) and Faris Moumbagna (flexor) are both closing in on returns from injury.
Cremonese possible starting lineup:
Silvestri; Terracciano, Baschirotto, Bianchetti; Zerbin, Payero, Bondo, Vandeputte, Pezzella; Bonazzoli, Vardy
Atalanta BC possible starting lineup:
Carnesecchi; Djimsiti, Hien, Ahanor; Bellanova, Ederson, De Roon, Zalewski; De Ketelaere, Sulemana; Lookman
We say: Cremonese 1-1 Atalanta BC
Atalanta’s run of draws could continue this weekend, as Cremonese are proving a tough nut to crack at Stadio Zini.
The hosts have acquitted themselves well since returning to the top flight, and they can now defy La Dea.
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