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Following promotion last season, Venezia were always likely to find it difficult this season and that has been the case for the Venetians as they begin the weekend sitting rock-bottom. They now face an Atalanta side that are pushing for European qualification.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Sunday 20th October, 2024 - UK – 2:00pm / US ET – 9:00am / US PT – 6:00am
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – Not televised / US – Select matches will be televised on CBS Sports so it is worth checking their schedule
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – OneFootball / US – Paramount+
VENEZIA PREVIEW: VENEZIA ROCK-BOTTOM
Last season, Venezia gained promotion to Serie A via the Serie B playoffs but they then lost their manager Paolo Vanoli to Torino with former Roma and Frosinone boss Eusebio Di Francesco being appointed to replace him.
Di Francesco is known for his attacking mindset and it can often be described as naïve. The home team begin this weekend’s round of fixtures sitting rock-bottom in Serie A with just one victory in their opening seven matches so far this season.
ATALANTA PREVIEW: GASPERINI’S GENIUS
In his eight-year spell in charge of Atalanta, Gian Piero Gasperini has had to update his style of play and the squad due to the overturn in personnel available to him but he has done so with extremely impressive success pretty much every time.
After winning the UEFA Europa League last season, the Bergamasci had an uncertain summer transfer window and that has led to a slow-ish start to this season but they did manage a couple of good performances and results before the October international break.
VENEZIA TEAM NEWS: JUST ONE ISSUE
There is just one injury concern for Venezia to deal with ahead of this weekend’s visit of Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta to Venice and that is Icelandic international Bjarkar Bjarkason remaining a doubt due to a thigh injury.
PREDICTED XI (3-5-2): Joronen; Idzes, Svoboda, Sverko; Candela, Doumbia, Caviglia, Busio, Haps; Oristanio, Pohjanpalo
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE: Bjarkason (Injured)
ATALANTA TEAM NEWS: KEY ABSENTEES
Atalanta remain without key men at both ends of the pitch due to ACL injuries with Giorgio Scalvini and Gianluca Scamacca both still unavailable with the likes of Berat Djimsiti and Rafael Toloi also major doubts.
PREDICTED XI (3-4-2-1): Carnesecchi; De Roon, Hien, Kolasinac; Bellanova, Ederson, Pasalic, Zappacosta; De Ketelaere, Lookman; Retegui
UNAVAILABLE: Kossonou (Injured), Scalvini (Injured), Brescianini (Injured), Scamacca (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: Djimsiti (Injured), Toloi (Injured), Ruggeri (Injured)
VENEZIA VS ATALANTA PREDICTION
Venezia haven’t been as adventurous or as attacking as one might expect a Di Francesco side to be but there have still only been three teams to concede more than them so far this season. Atalanta are the joint top-scorers in the league and yet are one of those teams to have actually conceded more than Venezia. Atalanta are favourites but it is expected to be a high-scoring and entertaining affair for the neutral.
VENEZIA VS ATALANTA TIP: ATALANTA TO WIN & OVER 2.5 GOALS