Preview: Atalanta BC vs. Roma

Sports Mole previews Sunday’s Serie A clash between Atalanta BC and Roma, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Two teams that experienced very different emotions following their Europa League semi-finals will meet in Serie A’s Sunday-night contest, as Atalanta BC welcome Roma to Bergamo.

After La Dea reached a first-ever European final and the Giallorossi became Bayer Leverkusen’s latest victims, both sides resume their fight for a precious top-five finish.

Match preview
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Having ultimately cruised to a 4-1 aggregate victory over Marseille on Thursday evening, Atalanta sealed their place in a first UEFA final with an impressive home win.

Following the teams’ 1-1 draw in France, Ademola Lookman broke through after 30 minutes at the Gewiss Stadium, before Matteo Ruggeri and second-half substitute El Bilal Toure both struck after the break.

Throughout their history in the Europa League and its predecessor the UEFA Cup, the Bergamaschi have now lost just two of 18 home games, winning 11 and keeping nine clean sheets in the process, so it is no surprise that current coach Gian Piero Gasperini led his side to second-leg success.

After a long and varied career, Gasp’s crowning glory could come in Dublin later this month, but his attention must quickly return to domestic matters, with a potentially decisive week lying ahead.

Atalanta are not only preparing for next Wednesday’s Coppa Italia final – in which they will scrap it out with Juventus for the second time in four years – but they are also in contention to claim Champions League football via the league.

Monday’s 2-1 comeback win over already-relegated Salernitana leaves La Dea fifth in the standings with four games remaining, and Serie A has five spots available this season.

Having one game in hand on their main rivals – including Sunday’s visitors – the Nerazzurri’s destiny is within their own hands, and ahead of Roma’s arrival they have taken 35 points from 16 home matches this season, winning on 11 occasions.

Though Atalanta tend to struggle against fellow members of Italy’s top six, they have posted three wins from their last four league games against Roma in Bergamo – as many as throughout the previous 11.

An increasingly common last-gasp goal extended Bayer Leverkusen’s record-breaking unbeaten run in Thursday’s Europa League semi-final second leg, consigning last year’s beaten finalists Roma to a 4-2 aggregate defeat.

Despite the new German champions’ reputation for plucking late goals from the ether, only Liverpool and Barcelona have scored more times than Roma during the last 15 minutes across Europe’s top five leagues this season – but the Giallorossi got a bitter taste of their own medicine in Germany.

A pair of Leandro Paredes penalties had dragged Daniele De Rossi’s side level in the tie, but conceding twice after the 80th minute saw Leverkusen gain revenge for last term’s loss in the semis and Roma miss out on an all-Italian final with Atalanta.

So, following a 1-1 draw in January’s reverse fixture, the capital club’s only remaining clash with La Dea comes this weekend in Serie A, where they are locked on 60 points with their opponents – albeit having played one game more.

While Atalanta can still afford to finish sixth and claim a Champions League place by winning the Europa League, Roma must now aim to conclude their campaign with three straight wins.

The Giallorossi were held to a 1-1 home draw by Juventus last week – despite taking the lead through Romelu Lukaku – but they now travel to Lombardy unbeaten in seven Serie A away matches since De Rossi took charge; failing to prolong that run would strike a hammer-blow to hopes of rejoining Europe’s top table.

Atalanta BC Serie A form:

Atalanta BC form (all competitions):

Roma Serie A form:

Roma form (all competitions):

Team News
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With Sunday’s game coming between a continental semi-final and next week’s Coppa Italia decider, the nature of Atalanta’s team selection remains to be seen, but Gian Piero Gasperini is not expected to make many changes.

Rafael Toloi and Emil Holm are still sidelined by injury, but Sead Kolasinac could return from a thigh problem in time to make the hosts’ squad.

Mario Pasalic and Giorgio Scalvini head the queue of players hoping for promotion from the bench, along with El Bilal Toure, but Roma youth product Gianluca Scamacca will hope to start instead of the latter against his former club.

Scamacca reached double figures in Serie A by scoring in Salerno earlier this week, and the Italy striker has now scored in four consecutive games for the first time in his top-flight career.

One of Roma’s main threats, Paulo Dybala was unable to play any part in their midweek Europa League exit due to an adductor problem; though he took part in training on Friday, the Argentina star will not be involved against Atalanta.

Leonardo Spinazzola was forced off by a potentially season-ending injury in Leverkusen, so Angelino is likely to start at left-back for the visitors, while Zeki Celik may reclaim his role on the right.

Atalanta BC possible starting lineup:
Carnesecchi; Scalvini, Hien, Djimsiti; Zappacosta, Ederson, Pasalic, Ruggeri; Koopmeiners, Lookman; Scamacca

Roma possible starting lineup:
Svilar; Celik, Mancini, Ndicka, Angelino; Cristante, Paredes, Pellegrini; Baldanzi, Lukaku, El Shaarawy

We say: Atalanta BC 0-0 Roma
Atalanta often falter against other teams in Serie A’s top six, while Roma are rarely at their best away from home. Following intense Europa League semi-finals, both will also be weary, so this crucial contest could end in a stalemate.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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