Soccer Italy Serie A Prediction

Atalanta vs AS Roma - Match Preview

⚽ 24 April 2023 - 18:45 GMT +0

After a 1-1 draw against Fiorentina last Monday, Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini highlighted their next Serie A (SA) game against Roma was “very important for us to win.” This clash becomes even more prominent in the wake of the overturning of Juventus’ point deduction, which leaves the hosts seven points behind fourth, a spot currently occupied by their visitors at the start of this matchday!

Atalanta has no one to blame but themselves as their poor recent ten-game league form (W3, D2, L5) has seen them spiralling down the table. The hosts managed just two clean sheets during this sequence, but if they can add to that count here, it will mark consecutive H2H top-flight shutouts for the first time since January 1965, having won the reverse fixture 1-0.

Roma has also been affected by the Juventus decision, pushing them down to fourth before this round. Having progressed to the UEFA Europa League semi-finals after defeating Feyenoord 4-2 on aggregate on Thursday, an extra route is open for the Giallorossi to play Champions League football next season. Yet, boss José Mourinho was quick to drill the message that “we must forget about the Europa League” and prepare for this match where they’ll be looking to build on a run of three straight league wins.

Each of those and in turn all nine of their SA victories in 2023 has come with a clean sheet, adding an aura of defensive invincibility to Roma. They are in line to win four straight top-flight matches without conceding for the first time since November 2013, although that would need them to record only their fourth such SA away H2H victory this century.

📋 Key battle: Joakim Mæhle scored Atalanta’s opener and picked up a yellow card in their last game, but could be kept defensively busy by Roma’s Tammy Abraham here. The forward has three goals in as many H2Hs, including opening and closing the scoring in a 4-1 win at this venue last season.

⚡ Hot stat: The away team on the day led 1-0 at half-time in seven of the last 13 SA H2Hs.