Serie A | Gameweek 23

Feb 1, 2025 at 5pm UK

Gewiss Stadium

Atalanta vs Torino

Match preview

Adding to their string of impressive results around Europe over the past few months, Atalanta secured a 2-2 draw in Barcelona on Wednesday evening, when the Champions League's opening phase drew to a dramatic conclusion.

They were pipped to eighth place by Aston Villa, so they had to settle for a spot in the playoffs instead of securing direct entry to the last 16, even though they fought back from behind twice with goals from Ederson and Mario Pasalic.

So, Gian Piero Gasperini's men will now meet either Sporting Lisbon or Club Brugge in the next round. But before they return to the UEFA Champions League, they'll be trying to keep up the pressure on Italy's top two.

Last week's 2-1 victory over Como ended a run of four league games without a win, but Atalanta are still seven points behind Serie A leaders Napoli, with reigning champions Inter Milan in between.

After Mateo Retegui scored two goals to turn the game around at Stadio Sinigaglia, they've picked up more points from losing positions than any other team in the top flight, doing so three times in their last five league matches.

Also, they've only lost one game out of 17 in Serie A recently, and 12 of those ended in a win. So, they're the favourites to beat Torino for a third year in a row at the Gewiss Stadium.

But Toro will have different ideas, after winning two of their last three games against Atalanta – as many successes as they had in the previous 14.

In fact, after Che Adams scored the winner in the reverse fixture this term, they could now do the double over Saturday's hosts for the first time since 2016.

Adams scored again last weekend, bagging a brace in a 2-0 home win against Cagliari, and Torino have been solid in their last five league games.

Before, they'd only won one in 12, which had seen them drop down the league table. But now they're back in the top half, six points clear of the drop zone.

Even though they've had a bit of a rough time recently, the Granata have drawn three of their last four away games and won the other, so they're feeling pretty confident heading into the match in Bergamo.

Recent Performance

Atalanta BC Serie A form:WDDDLW

Atalanta BC form (all competitions):DDLWWD

Torino Serie A form:LDDDDW

Team News

Back in Atalanta's lineup midweek, after missing last weekend's Serie A games due to a suspension, Isak Hien is all set to keep his spot in the hosts' back three, even though the team might be facing a defensive crisis.

Sead Kolasinac and Giorgio Scalvini were both withdrawn during Wednesday's draw against Barcelona - the former with a dislocated shoulder - while Odilon Kossounou is also unavailable.

Ademola Lookman is set to be out until the second half of February, and Gianluca Scamacca is still not ready to return, so Charles De Ketelaere should continue to support the top goalscorer in the league, Mateo Retegui, up front.

The guy's scored multiple goals in four separate games this season - three braces and one hat-trick - putting him behind only Barca striker Robert Lewandowski across Europe's top five leagues.

Meanwhile, Torino's main marksman Che Adams has scored seven times in Serie A so far, including on his league debut against Atalanta last August. He's just three goals away from equalling the Scottish record in Italy's top flight, currently held by the late Denis Law, who scored double figures for Toro back in 1962.

Ali Dembele is back from a ban, but Mergim Vojvoda and Ivan Ilic are still in the treatment room, along with long-term absentees Perr Schuurs and ex-Atalanta star Duvan Zapata. Having just finished his return to Serie A, former Napoli midfielder Eljif Elmas could be named on the bench.

Possible starting lineup

Atalanta BC possible starting lineup:

Carnesecchi; Toloi, Hien, Djimsiti; Bellanova, Ederson, De Roon, Ruggeri; De Ketelaere, Pasalic; Retegui

Torino possible starting lineup:

Milinkovic-Savic; Pedersen, Maripan, Coco, Sosa; Ricci, Gineitis; Lazaro, Vlasic, Karamoh; Adams