AC Milan will aim to continue the recent unbeaten run in Serie A when they take on Atalanta at the Gewiss Stadium on Friday.
The 2024/25 Serie A season resumes this week with Matchday 15 as games continue to come thick and fast across Europe. The latest round of fixtures starts on Friday with two games, with the action ending with Atalanta vs AC Milan at the Gewiss Stadium.
Atalanta entered the 2024/25 season with momentum after winning the 2023/24 UEFA Europa League title. Gian Piero Gasperini’s men have been on a roll this term, rising to second in the Serie A standings, a point behind the table-topping Napoli. The UEFA Champions League campaign has also been promising for La Dea, with Gasperini’s side one of only three teams yet to lose a game in the competition.
As for AC Milan, the bid to return to the summit of Italian football is not going well, with the team languishing in the seventh spot in the Serie A standings. Paulo Fonseca’s men are already ten points behind Napoli, although they have a game in hand. The UEFA Champions League campaign was slow off the blocks, but they have won their last three games.
The corresponding fixture last season ended in a 3-2 win for Atalanta, with AC Milan captain Davide Calabria seeing red. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Atalanta
Gian Piero Gasperini, who will serve the second of a touchline ban, does not have any new injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Atalanta manager will be bereft of the services of two first-team players vs AC Milan.
Gianluca Scamacca is a long-term absentee, with the Italian international recovering from a knee injury that will keep him in the treatment room until the final weeks of the 2024/25 season. Davide Zappacosta is the only other player on the sidelines, with the experienced full-back closing in on returning from a calf issue.
Marco Carnesecchi will take his spot between the sticks, with Atalanta lining up in a 3-4-2-1 formation in front of him vs AC Milan on Friday. The central defensive unit should feature Berat Djimsiti, Isak Hien, and Sead Kolasinac. Raoul Bellanova and Matteo Ruggeri will likely start as the two wing-backs.
The duo will provide width in the final third and protect the three centre-backs. As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Ederson and Marten de Roon. Finally, Mateo Retegui will lead the line for Atalanta against AC Milan, with Ademola Lookman and Charles De Ketelaere completing the numbers in the offensive trifecta.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Carnesecchi; Djimsiti, Hien, Kolasinac; Bellanova, Ederson, De Roon, Ruggeri; De Ketelaere, Lookman; Retegui
AC Milan
Like his counterpart from Atalanta, Paulo Fonseca does not have any new issues to worry about ahead of the trip to the Gewiss Stadium. The AC Milan manager will be without three first-team players on Friday.
Ismael Bennacer is the most notable absentee, with the Algerian international recovering from an ankle injury. Alessandro Florenzi (knee) and Luka Jovic (groin) are the other players on the sidelines for the away side.
Mike Maignan is an automatic pick between the sticks, with AC Milan lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Atalanta on Friday. The backline should feature Emerson Royal, Matteo Gabbia, Malick Thiaw, and Theo Hernandez.
As for the midfield unit, Youssouf Fofana and Tijjani Reijnders will likely pair up in the double pivot. Christian Pulisic will reprise the no. 10 role, with Samuel Chukwueze and Rafael Leao being the two wide attackers. Finally, Alvaro Morata should spearhead the AC Milan attack against Atalanta.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Emerson, Gabbia, Thiaw, Hernandez; Fofana, Reijnders; Chukwueze, Pulisic, Leao; Morata
Key Stats
- Atalanta and AC Milan have played out 45 draws in their 126 Serie A meetings thus far, with the Rossoneri having a superior head-to-head record with 55 wins (L26).
- Since the start of the 2020/21 season, AC Milan have won four of their eight Serie A games vs Atalanta (D2 L2). During this period, only Inter Milan (6) and Napoli (5) have managed more victories over La Dea.
- Atalanta (31) have racked up more than 30 points after the first 14 games of a Serie A season for the first time, considering three points for a win.
- AC Milan Milan have taken only eight points on the road in Serie A this season.
- Atalanta have scored at least two goals in their last 11 home games in Serie A, with Juventus the most recent team with a longer run (12, between December 2019 and July 2020).
Player to Watch
Rafael Leao
While the in-form and productive quartet of Mateo Retegui, Charles De Ketelaere, Ademola Lookman, and Christian Pulisic were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Rafael Leao as our Player to Watch for the game between Atalanta and AC Milan.
While the Portuguese international has improved this term, his output has yet to reach the desired levels. A game-changing performance vs Atalanta might be the catalyst for AC Milan and Leao to turn their fortunes around and mount a Serie A title challenge.
Prediction
Atalanta 2-1 AC Milan
AC Milan might have shown signs of improvement in recent weeks, but Atalanta will be a tough nut to crack. The home side will likely give a few opportunities, but Paulo Fonseca’s men must be clinical to punish La Dea.
While AC Milan will take the game to Atalanta, the hosts have the quality to eke a narrow victory. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for Gian Piero Gasperini and his charges, with the hosts continuing their exceptional scoring run at home.
