Each time Atalanta and Inter Milan meets, it is expected to have goals. The last meeting between the two sides ended in a two goals victory for the Nerazzurri, which sealed their Champions League spot. let’s do a preview of Atalanta and Inter.
Both sides are also going into the clash on the back of defeats during the midweek Champions League affairs. Gian Piero Gasperini’s men are are the most hurt from their 5-0 loss at Gewiss Stadium. They will be welcoming the Nerrazurri to the same Stadium today, with the hope of turning around their fortune.
Looking at the squad of each team, Inter tends to have more firepower than the hosts. It was a setback for them in the midweek, with Madrid having a narrow escape. The likes of Nicolò Barella and Lautaro Martinez seemed to have turned the game for the Nerazzurri. With such performance, they might not miss Romelu Lukaku provided they are ruthless in front of goal.
The hosts will want to quickly correct the mistakes that made them be smashed 5-0 by English champions Liverpool in the Champions League. To do this, Gasperini’s men must quickly get back on their feet, as Inter are desperate to turn a winless run of three straight games.
Inter winning the tie here will make it a back-to-back away win against Atalanta for the first time since 2001.
Despite being a high-scoring side in the last two seasons, Atalanta won just one of their last seven Serie A games against Inter – a 4-1 victory in November 2018. Since then, they have failed to score in four of the last six meetings between the pair.
Against Inter that can be ruthless on their day, La Dea must be addressed issue in its leaky defense this season. If the back three is not working, it is high time Gasperini switch to a more workable formation for his players, as they were caught naping on most times – this was evident agaomst Liverpool particularly without regular goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini behind them.
They have therefore failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last nine Serie A games. If nothing is done, they will hit their previous longest run in the top-flight without a clean sheet of 12 matches recorded in August 2015.
Inter’s defence was stable last season, but it has been otherwise this season. There is also a need for an improvement as well with the recent return of Alessandro Bastoni and Milan Skriniar.
This has resulted in 15 goals conceded in all competitions, which is far worst that the seven they conceded in their first nine matches the last term.
Inter has also produced their worst tally at this point since 2011-12.
Atalanta v Inter preview: Injury news
It remains unknown if Lukaku will be fit at least to start from the bench against Le Dea.
So far Atalanta has lost two Serie A games, picking up 12 points from six and sit one point above the Beneamata in the League. They are also without key players like Marten de Roon and Robin Gosens. Their star man, Josip Ilicic has not returned to the form he showed last term.
Hans Hateboer and Cristian Romero were involved in the evisceration by Liverpool but remained doubt as they battle thigh problems. All four trained individually on Friday, apart from the main group. This could make Johan Mojica and Fabio Depaoli deputise out wide for La Dea.
📋 Questi i 23 nerazzurri convocati per #AtalantaInter!
— Atalanta B.C. (@Atalanta_BC) November 7, 2020
👊 Here's our squad list for tomorrow's game!#SerieATIM #GoAtalantaGo ⚫️🔵 pic.twitter.com/bvfypFgKl1
The likes of Jose Luis Palomino, Cristiano Piccini (thigh) and Mattia Caldara (knee) are ruled out while goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini’s return has again been postponed.
Inter are also without Stefano Sensi and Matias Vecino while Alexis Sanchez has reportedly recovered from injury. The Chilean will then be considered to start or come off the bench in support of Martinez.
Nicolo Barella is expected to start as the most advanced midfielder – he has registered four assists already and is fast becoming one of Antonio Conte’s first names on the team sheet, close behind Romelu Lukaku.
Probable line-ups
Atalanta (3-4-2-1): Sportiello; Toloi, Romero, Djimsiti; Hateboer, Pasalic, Freuler, Ruggeri; Pessina, Gomez; Zapata
Injured: Caldara, De Roon, Gosens, Piccini
Inter (3-4-1-2): Handanovic; Skriniar, De Vrij, Bastoni; Hakimi, Vidal, Brozovic, Young; Barella; Sanchez, Lautaro
Injured: Vecino, Sensi, Lukaku
