The Stats Zone
October 22 2024, 09:21 · Alex Sarwar

Atalanta vs Celtic Preview & Prediction | 2024-25 UEFA Champions League | League Phase

Atalanta vs Celtic Preview & Prediction | 2024-25 UEFA Champions League | League Phase
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Atalanta are aiming to make it back-to-back league phase victories by beating a Celtic side still smarting after their 7-1 hammering at the hands of Borussia Dortmund.

KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Wednesday October 23rd 2024: UK – 5:45pm / US ET – 12:45pm / US PT – 9:45am

HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – TNT Sports 4 / US – CBS Sports

HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – discovery+ / US – Paramount+

ATALANTA PREVIEW: FOUR POINTS FROM SIX FOR GASPERINI’S MEN

Atalanta and boss Gian Piero Gasperini will more than likely be very happy with the start they’ve made to this season’s Champions League. A more than credible 0-0 draw against Premier League giants Arsenal was backed up by a comprehensive 0-3 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk, leaving them excellently placed moving forward in the league phase.

Since their last European game, La Dea have racked up another two Serie A wins, this time vs Genoa and Venezia respectively. Starring across both fixtures was striker Mateo Retegui, who found the net four times, including a hat-trick against Genoa. He’ll no doubt be desperate to back that up with a first Champions League goal of the campaign.

CELTIC PREVIEW: BHOYS BROUGHT BACK TO EARTH WITH DORTMUND THRASHING

Any Celtic fans who thought this year might be difficult for them in the Champions League following their win over Slovan Bratislava were knocked back to reality in a brutal way by last season’s runners-up Borussia Dortmund. Equalising immediately following Dortmund’s opening goal was as good as it got for Brendan Rodgers’ side, who proceeded to be taken apart by a clinical BVB, ruthlessly punishing the mistakes made by Celtic in possession of the football.

They don’t head to Bergamo in the best of spirits after being held to a 2-2 draw by Aberdeen in domestic action this past weekend. After going 2-0 up, the Bhoys were pegged back in the second half, much to the displeasure of Celtic supporters, leaving plenty to ponder for Rodgers ahead of this contest.

ATALANTA TEAM NEWS: HIEN TO DEPUTISE FOR KOSSOUNOU AGAIN

Defender Odilon Kossounou remains out through the thigh injury he suffered against Shakhtar and Isak Hien will more than likely take his place for the third match running. Striker Gianluca Scamacca also remains absent.

PREDICTED XI (3-4-3): Carnesecchi; Djimsiti, Hien, Kolasinac; Bellanova, De Roon, Ederson, Zappacosta; De Ketelaere, Retegui, Lookman

UNAVAILABLE: Brescianini (Injured), Kossounou (Injured), Scalvini (Injured), Scamacca (Injured), Toloi (Injured)

QUESTIONABLE:

CELTIC TEAM NEWS: DECISION TO BE MADE ON CARTER-VICKERS, TAYLOR OUT

The visitors will be hoping centre-back Cameron Carter-Vickers is passed fit to make his return to action. However, should this match come too soon for him then Auston Trusty and Liam Scales will continue together at the back. Kyogo’s goal at the weekend may earn him the start over Adam Idah.

PREDICTED XI (4-3-3): Schmeichel; Johnston, Trusty, Scales, Valle; Engels, McGregor, Hatate; Kuhn, Kyogo, Maeda

UNAVAILABLE: Taylor (Injured)

QUESTIONABLE: Carter-Vickers (Injured)

KEY STATS

  • Atalanta are unbeaten in their last eight UEFA competition group/league phase matches (W5 D3).
  • Atalanta have lost only two of their last 16 UEFA competition matches (W9 D5).
  • Atalanta have lost only two of their last ten UEFA competition matches at home (W6 D2).
  • Celtic have won only two of their last 15 UEFA competition matches against Italian teams (D3 L10).
  • Celtic have won only one of their previous 15 UEFA competition matches away from home against Italian teams (D3 L11). That was a 2-1 victory against Lazio in the 2019/20 UEFA Europa League group stage.
  • Celtic have won only three of their last 29 matches in the UEFA Champions League proper (D6 L20).
  • Celtic have lost their previous seven matches away from home against Italian teams in the UEFA Champions League proper.
  • Celtic are without a win in their last nine away matches in the UEFA Champions League proper (D1 L8). Since a 3-0 victory at Anderlecht in the 2017/18 group stage.

ATALANTA VS CELTIC PREDICTION

If Celtic attempt to play the way they did against Borussia Dortmund here in Bergamo, expansive, unafraid to push men forward and leaving themselves vulnerable if they lose possession, then it could be another long evening for the Scottish champions. Whilst you’d expect a more defensive style of play on this occasion, Atalanta should still manage to break through their opponents at least once. However, don’t write Celtic off going forward especially with them having not gone a single fixture in all competitions this season without scoring at least one goal. With that in mind, the shrewd move here would be backing both teams to score.

ATALANTA VS CELTIC TIP: BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE