Atalanta vs Torino Preview & Prediction | 2023-24 Italian Serie A
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We could well have an ‘after the Lord Mayor’s show’ in Bergamo this weekend as the UEFA Europa League winners Atalanta have their homecoming against Torino.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Saturday 26th May, 2024 – UK - 17:00 / US EST – 12:00 / US PST – 10:00
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: This match will be televised live on TNT Sports in the UK. / This match will be televised live on CBS in the US.
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: This match will be streamed live via the TNT Sports app in the UK. / This match will be streamed live via Paramount+ in the US.
ATALANTA PREVIEW: FAIRYTALE OF ATALANTA
The story and miracle of Bergamo is one to make the eyes water but their belligerent coach Gian Piero Gasperini is a story to celebrate. Atalanta pulled off an outstanding, intense 3-0 hammering of Bayer Leverkusen in Dublin in midweek; a Leverkusen side unbeaten in all 51 matches across all competitions so far this season with Ademola Lookman striking a superb hat-trick.
The Bergamasci also reached the final of the Coppa Italia where they were beaten 1-0 by Juventus in what was to be Massimiliano Allegri’s final game in charge of the Old Lady but their league form has not relented, confirming UEFA Champions League qualification via Serie A with a comfortable 2-0 defeat of Lecce last weekend.
TORINO PREVIEW: THE TERRORS OF TURIN
The terrors of Turin may sound harsh but my word, for the neutral, it has been a painful watch this season under the management of departing coach, former Hellas Verona boss Ivan Juric. The Piedmont-based club have notched just 36 times in 37 matches so far this season with only Lecce, Empoli and Salernitana scoring fewer than the visitors this weekend.
Despite that frustrating lack of goalmouth action, they do play an ‘easy on the eye’ style of football or whatever that means in modern football parlance. They are still in the hunt for UEFA Europa Conference League qualification as a result of Italy’s success in European competition this season, currently holding off last season’s champions Napoli.
ATALANTA TEAM NEWS: RINGING THE CHANGES
Whilst there is a financial incentive for Atalanta to finish in the top four this season, it will surely be the case that Gian Piero Gasperini heavily rotates after their night in Dublin – especially with a game to play next weekend against Fiorentina to finish their season.
PREDICTED XI (3-4-2-1): Musso; Toloi, Hien, Scalvini; Zappacosta, De Roon, Ederson, Bakker; Toure, Pasalic; Lookman
UNAVAILABLE: Hateboer (Suspended)
QUESTIONABLE:
TORINO TEAM NEWS: VLASIC STILL OUT
Nikola Vlasic has been selected by Zlatko Dalic in Croatia’s 26-man squad for UEFA EURO 2024 this summer but the attacking midfielder remains unavailable for Torino with a groin injury. Gvidas Gineitis also remains a doubt for Ivan Juric.
PREDICTED XI (3-4-1-2): Milinkovic-Savic; Tameze, Buongiorno, Masina; Bellanova, Linetty, Ilic, Rodriguez; Ricci; Pellegri, Zapata
UNAVAILABLE: Vlasic (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: Gineitis (Injured)
ATALANTA VS TORINO PREDICTION
Gian Piero Gasperini’s men will know that finishing in the top four will reduce the amount of Italian teams in next season’s UEFA Champions League from six to five teams. Whilst that may sound irrelevant on the face of it, it will mean Atalanta get a bigger slice of UEFA’s pie that is dished out to Italian clubs competing in Europe’s elite club competition. That will hardly be motivation for a likely hungover set of players playing against a team looking to grind out a top nine spot so a low-scoring game does seem likely.
ATALANTA VS TORINO TIP: UNDER 3.5 GOALS
