Champions League | League Stage

Jan 21, 2025 at 5.45pm UK

Gewiss Stadium

Atalanta vs Sturm Graz

Match preview

While it would be unfair to suggest that the wheels are coming off, Atalanta's form has fallen off since they were eliminated by Real Madrid in the Champions League in mid-December.

Since then, they have fallen behind in the Scudetto race, damaging their hopes of winning their first ever Italian title, as well as being knocked out of the Supercoppa Italiana semi-finals.

After losing to Inter Milan in Saudi Arabia, La Dea returned to league action with a fortunate 0-0 draw against Udinese, with fit-again striker Mateo Retegui coming off the bench to earn a point at home to Juventus.

Despite Retegui's spectacular strike, his second goal in two games since returning from injury, the Bianconeri eventually lost 3-2 to title rivals Napoli on Saturday night, ending a 15-match unbeaten run in Serie A that included 11 wins.

Gian Piero Gasperini's men are now winless in their last five matches in all competitions and will be hoping to end that run with home advantage against one of the more modest clubs in the Champions League.

However, Atalanta have won just one of their last 10 Champions League games at the Gewiss Stadium and another defeat on Tuesday could end their hopes of qualifying directly for the last 16 - even though a play-off place is all but assured.

The Nerazzurri have recent experience of meeting Sturm Graz in Europe, with Gasperini's men going unbeaten in two group-stage matches - a 2-2 draw away and a 1-0 win at home - en route to Europa League glory last season, and will be looking to continue in that vein.

In 14 previous attempts, no Austrian side has beaten their Italian opponents in the Champions League era, with a dismal record of three draws and 11 defeats.

Sturm Graz will have to break that precedent if they are to remain in the hunt for a play-off spot this season, after last month's 3-2 defeat at Lille left them needing maximum points from their final two league games.

It could have been a different story in Jurgen Saumel's first game in charge, as goals from Mika Biereth and Otar Kiteishvili put the Austrian Bundesliga champions in contention for victory, only for Hakon Arnar Haraldsson to grab a late winner for the hosts.

Saumel has inherited an inexperienced side, with only compatriots Red Bull Salzburg fielding a younger starting XI on average in this Champions League campaign, while no team has given more minutes to teenagers.

With just three points from six games, the youthful Sturm may be in danger of an early exit from Europe, but they are defending their domestic title in impressive style.

Unbeaten in 11 league and cup matches, with eight wins, Die Schwoazn are three points clear at the top of the table heading into the Bundesliga's winter break.

They have recently been playing a series of friendlies ahead of the Austrian top-flight's return next month, but the intensity will be even higher in Bergamo: having won just one of their 15 Champions League away games to date, they will travel to Lombardy with more hope than expectation.

Recent Performance

Atalanta BC Champions League form:DWDWWL

Atalanta BC form (all competitions):WDLDDL

Sturm Graz Champions League form:LLLLWL

Sturm Graz form (all competitions):WWWDWL

Team News

With Sead Kolasinac available after serving a Serie A suspension, only long-term absentee Gianluca Scamacca and recent injury victim Odilon Kossounou are certain to miss out for Atalanta.

Veteran wide man Juan Cuadrado remains a doubt, but any one of Raoul Bellanova, Matteo Ruggeri and Davide Zappacosta will be called upon to fill in at full-back.

Mateo Retegui and Ademola Lookman were selected on Saturday, but Charles De Ketelaere could now be added to La Dea's attack, with the Belgian having been directly involved in seven goals in six Champions League appearances this season.

Sturm Graz, meanwhile, return to UEFA's elite club competition with a depleted squad after losing key striker Mika Biereth to Monaco and full-back Jusuf Gazibegovic to Koln in the winter transfer window.

Max Johnston and Seedy Jatta are set to miss out through injury, but Amady Camara and goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen - the latter just back from knee surgery - have both featured in recent friendlies.

As many as five youngsters could feature for the visitors on Tuesday, with Camara, Malick Yalcouye, Lovro Zvonarek, Arjan Malic and Konstantin Schopp all having featured in the league.

Possible starting lineup

Atalanta BC possible starting lineup:

Carnesecchi; Djimsiti, Hien, Kolasinac; Bellanova, De Roon, Ederson, Zappacosta; De Ketelaere, Lookman; Retegui

Sturm Graz possible starting lineup:

Scherpen; Geyrhofer, Aiwu, Wuthrich, Lavalee; Chukwuani, Yalcouye, Stankovic, Kiteishvili; Boving, Jatta