Atalanta host Arsenal at Stadio di Bergamo in the league phase of 2024-25 UEFA Champions League.
Victory by a two goal margin or more will see Atalanta or Arsenal climb into the top eight.
Team News
Atalanta could be without Ben Godfrey (back) and Rafael Toloi (muscle) after the defensive pair sat out their 3-2 Serie A win over Fiorentina.
Giorgio Scalvini and Gianluca Scamacca (both ACL) remain ruled out.
Arsenal could be without Bukayo Saka after he suffered a knock during their North London Derby win at Tottenham in the Premier League.
Riccardo Calafiori (calf) and Declan Rice (suspension) could return.
Mikel Merino (shoulder), Martin Odegaard (ankle), Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf), Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) and Kieran Tierney (hamstring) remain absent.
When is Kick-Off?
Atalanta host Arsenal at Stadio di Bergamo on Thursday 19 September at 9pm CEST (8pm UK Time), live on TNT Sports 1 in the UK.
Stat Attack
- This is Atalanta’s first-ever meeting against Arsenal in all competitions.
- Arsenal have won three of their last five visits to Italian opposition in all UEFA competitions (W3, L2).
- Atalanta have won one of five previous meetings at home against English opposition in all UEFA competitions (W1, D2, L2).
- Mikel Arteta’s Gunners have kept three clean sheets in four matches this season.
Prediction
With no clean sheets this season, Atalanta need to tighten up but their attack and in particularly, Mateo Retegui is their best asset given how effective their attacking play can be when allowed to maximise their wide play and crosses into box.
Arsenal meanwhile were clinical in their scrappy win at Tottenham but there will be squad rotation ahead of their league trip to Manchester City, plus they will need to be tactically spot on if want to limit Atalanta on the flanks.
This game therefore will be quite tactical but if Arsenal can get their tactics spot on, they should edge it otherwise I can see a draw here.
Prediction: Atalanta 0-1 Arsenal
Result: Atalanta 0-0 Arsenal
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