Atalanta will be desperate to return to winning ways when they take on Hellas Verona at the Marcantonio Bentegodi Stadium on Saturday.
The 2024/25 Serie A season resumes this week with Matchday 24. The latest round of fixtures starts with the game between Como and Juventus on Friday before the action starts on Saturday with Hellas Verona vs Atalanta at the Marcantonio Bentegodi Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Hellas Verona could not have asked for a better start to the 2024/25 Serie A season, winning twice in the opening three games. However, the Mastiffs have managed only five more victories in the 20 matches that have followed, although a two-game unbeaten run has lifted them outside the relegation zone. So, Paolo Zanetti will hope his team’s turnaround continues.
As for Atalanta, recent weeks have witnessed a dreadful run of form, with the visitors winning only two of their last ten games across all competitions. Those dreadful results have taken La Dea from the top of the Serie A table to third in the standings. In addition, Gian Piero Gasperini’s men have bowed out of the Coppa Italia, lost in the Supercoppa Italiana semi-final, and finished outside the top eight in the UEFA Champions League.
The reverse fixture saw Atalanta cruise to a 6-1 win, with Amin Sarr scoring the consolation goal for Hellas Verona. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Hellas Verona
Paolo Zanetti has new roster issues hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Hellas Verona will be bereft of the services of as many as six first-team players vs Atalanta on Saturday.
Suat Serdar sustained a hamstring injury last weekend against AC Monza, while Ondrej Duda will serve a suspension after seeing red in the same game. The duo has joined Martin Frese (knee), Abdou Harroui (ACL), Dailon Livramento (groin), and Casper Tengstedt (ankle) on the sidelines. Meanwhile, Reda Belahyane joined Lazio in the winter transfer window.
Lorenzo Montipo will take his spot between the sticks, with Hellas Verona lining up in a 3-4-1-2 formation in front of him vs Atalanta on Saturday. The central defensive unit should feature Flavius Daniliuc, Diego Coppola, and Daniele Ghilardi. Jackson Tchatchoua and Domagoj Bradaric will likely start as the two wing-backs.
The wide duo will provide the width in the final third while supporting the centre-backs during the defensive phases. As for the midfield unit, Cheikh Niasse and Grigoris Kastanos will pair up in the double pivot, looking to keep things tight in the middle of the park. Finally, Amin Sarr and Daniel Mosquera will be the two strikers, with Tomas Suslov pulling the strings from the advanced areas.
Probable Lineup (3-4-1-2): Montipo; Daniliuc, Coppola, Ghilardi; Tchatchoua, Niasse, Kastanos, Bradaric; Suslov; Sarr, Mosquera
Atalanta
Like his counterpart in the Hellas Verona dugout, Gian Piero Gasperini has new injury concerns to worry about ahead of the trip to the Marcantonio Bentegodi Stadium. The Atalanta manager will be without five first-team players on Saturday.
Giorgio Scalvini (shoulder) and Gianluca Scamacca (muscle) are the latest absentees, with the duo becoming long-term absentees. Scalvini and Scamacca have joined Marco Carnesecchi (knock), Sead Kolasinac (hamstring), and Ademola Lookman (knee) on the sidelines.
Rui Patricio will deputise for Carnesecchi between the sticks, with Atalanta lining up in a 3-4-2-1 formation in front of him vs Hellas Verona on Saturday. The central defensive unit should feature Stefan Posch, Isak Hien, and Berat Djimsiti. Raoul Bellanova and Matteo Ruggeri will be the two wing-backs.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Marten De Roon and Ederson in the double pivot. Mateo Retegui will lead the line for Atalanta against Hellas Verona on Saturday, with Charles De Ketelaere and Lazar Samardzic completing the numbers in the final third.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Patricio; Posch, Hien, Djimsiti; Bellanova, Ederson, De Roon, Ruggeri; De Ketelaere, Samardzic; Retegui
Key Stats
- Atalanta have won six of their last eight games vs Hellas Verona (D1 L1), scoring 18 goals (2.25 per match).
- Hellas Verona have managed only one point in their six most recent home games vs Atalanta in Serie A, losing the four most recent meetings.
- Hellas Verona won their most recent Serie A game and will target two successive wins in the top flight for the first time since March 2024.
- Hellas Verona have not scored in their last three Serie A games at the Marcantonio Bentegodi Stadium. They have only failed to find the back of the net in four successive league games at home: four between October and December 2015 and five between January and March 1979.
- After a run of 11 successive Serie A wins, Atalanta’s last six league games have witnessed only one victory (D4 L1).
Player to Watch
Mateo Retegui
While Amin Sarr and Charles De Ketelaere were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Mateo Retegui as our Player to Watch for Saturday’s match between Hellas Verona and Atalanta at the Marcantonio Bentegodi.
The Italian international has been a standout performer for Atalanta this season, with his exploits capturing the attention of several European bigwigs. With La Dea blowing hot and cold in the last few weeks, Retegui will be Gian Piero Gasperini’s go-to man to deliver the goods in the final third and earn a much-needed victory.
Prediction
Hellas Verona 1-2 Atalanta
Hellas Verona and Atalanta have experienced contrasting fortunes in the last few days, and the hosts might fancy their prospects against a stumbling Atalanta. However, La Dea’s record against Hellas Verona is excellent. In addition, the Mastiffs have struggled to find the back of the net at home in their recent outings.
While Atalanta’s recent defensive struggles should help Hellas Verona end the struggles in the final third, they might not have the quality to topple La Dea. The Hard Tackle predicts a closely contested affair, which should end in a narrow 2-1 win for Gian Piero Gasperini and his charges.
