Atalanta BC vs Sassuolo - prediction, team news, lineups

After missing retired past season, Atalanta BC volition statesman their latest top-four situation connected Sunday, erstwhile Sassuolo sojourn Bergamo connected Serie A's opening matchday.

Both clubs person already returned to competitory action, with La Dea settling for a goalless gully successful Europe and the Neroverdi strolling done to circular 2 of the Coppa Italia.

Match preview

Following respective years of overachievement - astir notably lifting the Europa League trophy successful 2024 - Atalanta fell abbreviated of different top-four decorativeness successful Serie A past term. 

The Bergamo club's archetypal run aft Gian Piero Gasperini's departure started dismally nether Ivan Juric, who near them languishing successful little mid-table earlier Raffaele Palladino took charge. 

The second steadily led La Dea up the standings and secured qualification for the Conference League, but the committee decided to commencement afresh nether caller management.

Veteran manager Maurizio Sarri has taken the reins, pursuing an acrimonious exit from Lazio, and his broadside recorded 3 wins and 1 decision during pre-season.

Atalanta's 'Sarri-ball' epoch past began successful earnest connected Thursday evening, with the archetypal limb of their Conference League playoff against Hapoel Tel Aviv.

However, the Nerazzurri struggled to a 0-0 location draw, leaving them with enactment to bash adjacent week if they are to marque it done to the league phase.

Between present and then, they indispensable effort to proceed a beardown contented successful Serie A play openers, having won 7 of their past 8 portion averaging astir 3 goals per game.

Including a 2-0 decision to Atalanta successful August 2023, Sassuolo person mislaid each of their past 3 top-flight openers, failing to people and conceding 7 goals.

The Neroverdi person besides mislaid 8 of 12 distant games against La Dea successful Serie A, though they did triumph successful Bergamo past November - past again connected location turf 4 months later.

After going connected to unafraid mid-table information connected their instrumentality to Italy's apical tier, Sassuolo had to regenerate caput manager Fabio Grosso, who near for Fiorentina earlier this summer.

Former Liverpool and Roma midfielder Alberto Aquilani indispensable present effort to physique connected past term’s 11th-placed finish, aft stepping up from Catanzaro.

Yet to negociate astatine the elite level, Aquilani's pre-season results were not promising: having started with a 4-1 triumph implicit Padova, his squad failed to triumph immoderate of their past 5 friendlies.

Sassuolo besides ended past play with 3 consecutive defeats, but they got their 2026-27 run nether mode much successfully connected Monday. 

Beating determination rivals Cesena 3-0 sent the Emilian nine done to circular 2 of the Coppa Italia, mounting up a location necktie against Frosinone adjacent month.

Atalanta BC signifier (all competitions):

Sassuolo signifier (all competitions):

Team News

As expected, Sarri has scrapped Atalanta's trademark three-man defence, which whitethorn beryllium conscionable arsenic well, fixed the existent absences of Isak Hien and Honest Ahanor.

Fellow centre-back Giorgio Scalvini was forced disconnected with an ankle wounded successful midweek, truthful Thomas Kristensen could marque his afloat debut.

Recent signing Eljif Elmas whitethorn not beryllium ready, Charles De Ketelaere is simply a doubt, and Kamaldeen Sulemana (knee) is surely sidelined, but Ederson stayed successful Bergamo aft his determination to Manchester United fell done and is acceptable to commencement successful midfield. 

Either Gianluca Scamacca oregon Nikola Krstovic volition diagnostic up front, aft some netted 10 league goals past term; the second has besides racked up 31 extremity involvements implicit the past 2 Serie A seasons.

Recently linked with a determination to Hull City oregon Lazio, Andrea Pinamonti was Sassuolo's apical scorer successful 2025-26, but caller striker Kieron Bowie started against Cesena successful the cup.

The visitors person besides brought successful Benjamin Dominguez and Vasilije Adzic, but Tarik Muharemovic joined Leeds United and cardinal midfielder Ismael Kone suffered a superior wounded portion with World Cup co-hosts Canada.

Fali Cande and Edoardo Pieragnolo are besides unavailable, portion insignificant injuries could regularisation Sebastian Walukiewicz, Daniel Boloca and skipper Domenico Berardi retired of Sunday's opener.

Atalanta BC imaginable starting lineup:

Carnesecchi; Bellanova, Kossounou, Kristensen, Bernasconi; Ederson, Gaetano, Pasalic; Zalewski, Scamacca, Raspadori

Sassuolo imaginable starting lineup:

Muric; Cinquegrano, Macchioni, Idzes, Doig; Matic, Bakola; Volpato, Adzic, Lauriente; Bowie

We say: Atalanta BC 2-1 Sassuolo

Atalanta whitethorn instrumentality immoderate clip to larn Sarri's methods, truthful aft a clunky Conference League show successful midweek, it mightiness not beryllium a stellar performance.

Even so, Sassuolo are besides uncovering their feet nether Aquilani, and the hosts person capable attacking endowment to unafraid maximum points connected the opening matchday.

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