Atalanta will take on Lazio in what should be a pivotal clash in the race for the fourth spot in Serie A
Atalanta will take on Lazio in what can be considered a six-pointer in the race for a top-four finish. With just two points separating both sides, the winner on the day will gain the upper hand both in terms of points and morale.
Lazio came out on top in the reverse fixture and will be aiming for their first league double over Atalanta this decade. The last time the Giallorossi achieved that, Simeone Inzaghi was still at the helm.
It will not be easy as Atalanta have picked up 25 points from 11 home games in the league this season. La Dea are a formidable side on home turf and will prove difficult to overcome. Still smarting from their Supercoppa Italiana exit, Maurizio Sarri will be keen to ensure his tactics are on point on Sunday.
Lazio are a shadow of the side that finished second in Serie A last season. In fact, they are currently in the sixth position, two points off Atalanta. Should AS Roma also drop points, Sarri and Co could very well end the night in the fourth position.
The Derby d’Italia should take centre stage on the night, but the importance of this tie cannot be understated. Not only will both teams have the opportunity to take a step closer to a Champions League spot, but they will also hand a direct rival a blow in the process. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
BC Atalanta
The home side will be without new signing Isak Hien, who is injured, and star attacker Ademola Lookman, who is at the Africa Cup of Nations. However, Gian Piero Gasperini will hope that star midfielder Teun Koopmeiners can shake off an ankle issue of feature on the day.
Atalanta have an otherwise full-fit squad to choose from. Gasperini has often gone with a three-back backline, and it should continue on the night. A 3-4-2-1 formation appears to be the way forward for the hosts.
Marco Carnesecchi should start in goal behind the back three of Giorgio Scalvini, Berat Djimsiti and Sead Kolasinac. The trio will hope to keep things tight and should adopt a narrow approach. This should free up Emil Holm and Matteo Ruggeri to provide the width from the full-back positions.
The duo of Marten de Roon and Ederson should hold the fort in the middle of the park, paving the way for the more advanced players to wreak havoc up front. Teun Koopmeiners should get the nod alongside Charles De Ketelaere if he is deemed fit, while Gianluca Scamacca will be keen to get one over an opponent he will have little love for.
Probable Lineup (3-4-3): Carnesecchi; Scalvini, Djimsiti, Kolasinac; Holm, Ederson, De Roon, Ruggeri; Koopmeiners, De Ketelaere; Scamacca
SS Lazio
The visitors are slowly recovering from a poor start to the season, and a win over Atalanta will give them a massive boost in the race for the fourth spot.
Maurizio Sarri’s men came well short of making an impact in the Suppercoppa Italiana but still have much to play for this season. With a top-four battle, a Coppa Italia semifinal and the UEFA Champions League round of 16 clashes vs Bayern Munich to come, there is still much for Sarri to accomplish.
They will travel to Atalanta without Patric, who is out injured with a shoulder knock. Mattia Zaccagni is back from suspension but is not fully fit, meaning his participation in the game is in question. The same cannot be said for Danilo Cataldi and Ciro Immobile, both of whom are available having served their suspensions.
Sarri is expected to retain his trademark 4-3-3 formation, with Ivan Provedel in goal. He should be protected by the back four of Manuel Lazzari, Mario Gila, Alessio Romagnoli, and Adam Marusic.
Nicolo Rovella should hold the fort in the middle of the park, with Matteo Guendouzi and Luis Alberto seeking to play the ball forward. Ciro Immobile is expected to lead the line, with Gustav Isaksen and Felipe Anderson providing the width on the flanks.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Provedel; Lazzari, Gila, Romagnoli, Marusic; Guendouzi, Rovella, Alberto; Isaksen, Immobile, Anderson
Key Stats
- Atalanta have won 37 of their 111 league meetings against Lazio in Serie A, second only to their number of triumphs over Bologna (38). Lazio have lost just one of their last six Serie A matches against Atalanta.
- A win on the day will see Lazio complete the double over Atalanta for the first time since 2016-17.
- Avoiding defeat on the night will see Lazio extend their unbeaten streak away to Atalanta to three games, their longest such run since 2007.
- Atalanta have picked up 25 points in 11 Serie A home games this season. This is their joint-most at this stage of the season, a tally last achieved in 1996/97.
Player to Watch
Gianluca Scamacca
The Italian striker is not enjoying the finest of returns to Serie A but could be Atalanta’s difference-maker on Sunday. A die-hard AS Roma fan, Scamacca will be keen to get one over their arch-rivals, Lazio. This adds further spice to a contest that already has much riding on it.
At 25, the Azzurri man is entering his prime and could score bucketloads in Gian Piero Gasperini’s all-action style. Whether he will leave a telling impact on Sunday on the game remains to be seen.
Prediction
Atalanta BC 2-2 SS Lazio
Both teams are solid going forward but struggle to show the same level of proficiency at the back. It will come as a huge shock if neither defence remains unbreached for 90 minutes. As the Hard Tackle sees it, a scored draw is the most probably outcome between Atalanta and Lazio.