Friday’s mouth-watering Serie A visit to Bergamo to face off towards Atalanta might be a turning level for a notoriously inconsistent Milan facet. Unable to collect momentum since Paulo Fonseca’s arrival in the summertime, final season’s runners-up head to the Gewiss Stadium, hoping to derail high-flying La Dea’s Scudetto hopes.
Whereas Milan have been the epitome of inconsistency underneath Fonseca, Gian Piero Gasperini could have lastly laid the groundwork for Atalanta’s first-ever title in Serie A. Seemingly buoyed by final season’s exceptional UEFA Europa League triumph, Gasperini’s costs are firing on all cylinders, raining down terror in all competitions.
Atalanta consolidated their title credentials with a well-deserved 2-0 triumph at Roma on Monday. In doing so, La Dea ramped up the strain on pacesetters Napoli, re-establishing a one-point deficit pre-round. That additionally signifies that a win towards Milan would see them ascend the Serie A throne, even when only for 48 hours.
Nevertheless, the Rossoneri will take the sphere in excessive spirits after stringing collectively three consecutive multi-goal margin victories throughout all competitions. Final weekend’s 3-0 residence win towards Empoli helped Fonseca’s staff keep inside putting distance of the European spots, trailing sixth-placed Juventus by 4 factors.
With a sport in hand on many of the groups above them within the standings, Milan can nonetheless intervene within the UEFA Champions League race. However Fonseca’s dream of inspiring the San Siro outfit to a landmark twentieth Scudetto seems like a pipe dream, with table-topping Napoli boasting a major ten-point lead.
Match Preview
Atalanta
Atalanta might be essentially the most in-form staff in Europe’s top-five leagues alongside runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool. Gasperini’s males come into proceedings unbeaten in 13 matches throughout all competitions (W11, D2), together with eight consecutive wins within the build-up to this heavyweight showdown.
Formidable goalscoring type has been the primary ingredient behind Atalanta’s real Scudetto problem this season. They’ve tallied a league-high 36 targets, netting no less than two in 11 of their 14 Serie A outings to this point, together with all six on the Gewiss Stadim. Given Milan’s defensive woes, Charles De Ketelaere and Ademola Lookman may have a area day.
After a torrid spell at Milan, De Ketealere has gone from power to power at Atalanta, turning into one in all Serie A’s deadliest forwards. Gasperini will want his Belgian talisman at his finest to assist La Dea defy an underwhelming run of only one win from their final 4 residence league conferences with the Rossoneri (D1, L2).
Milan
Stefano Pioli discovered a successful system towards Atalanta, nevertheless it took him some time. Nevertheless, time is a luxurious Fonseca can not afford. He wants outcomes, and he wants them now. Ominously for the Portuguese tactician, he did not beat La Dea in all 4 matches as Roma boss (D1, L3).
Maybe with Milan, he may flip his fortunes round. Fonseca’s facet obliterated second-tier Sassuolo 6-1 in a one-sided Coppa Italia tie on Tuesday, setting themselves up properly for this journey. It was the third consecutive sport in all competitions to see Milan rating 3+ targets.
Discovering the web hasn’t been a problem for the Rossoneri, particularly away from residence. They’ve but to attract a clean on the street, scoring on all six Serie A travels. It’s too dangerous their backline couldn’t sustain with the tempo, conceding no less than twice in 4 of these six video games, therefore a troubled away league file this season (W2, D2, L2).
Fonseca’s lads have developed a behavior of packing a punch on this floor. They’ve bagged a number of targets on three of their final 4 top-flight visits to Bergamo, suggesting one other impactful efficiency might be on the playing cards.
Staff Information
Along with long-term absentee Gianluca Scamacca, Atalanta can not name upon the providers of veteran Juan Cuadrado, who slumped to a muscle downside towards Roma. Wingback Davide Zapaccosta is on the verge of getting back from damage, however Raoul Bellanova must be Gasperini’s first possibility on the precise wing.
Then again, Milan will hit the street with out Alessandro Florenzi, Ismael Bennacer, and Luka Jovic. Ruben Loftus-Cheek sustained a minor health concern towards Sassuolo and will transfer to the bench. The identical goes for Tammy Abraham, who will possible give up his place in assault to Alvaro Morata.
Atalanta vs Milan Potential Beginning Line-ups
Atalanta (3-4-2-1): Carnesecchi; Djimsiti, Hien, Kolasinac; Bellanova, Ederson, De Roon, Ruggeri; De Ketelaere, Lookman; Retegui.
Milan (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Emerson, Gabbia, Thiaw, Hernandez; Fofana, Reijnders; Chukwueze, Pulisic, Leao; Morata.
Atalanta vs Milan Prediction
Something aside from three factors would most likely render Milan’s Scudetto hopes useless within the water. Due to this fact, all of the strain is on Fonseca’s facet. Sadly, they couldn’t have picked a worse second to commerce tackles with Atalanta.
Gasperini’s overachievers are in red-hot type and appear in much better form than Milan. As such, we again La Dea to ship a knockout blow on their guests’ lofty home ambitions.