UEFA Champions League action returns to Bergamo as Atalanta look to solidify their tag of favourites when the men in black and blue take on Celtic. The midweek encounter at Gewiss Stadium pitches two teams with different momentum against each other as both seek a vital three points in this important Group Stage encounter.
Atalanta’s Winning Momentum
Coming into the match, Atalanta will be dripping with confidence after a 2-0 Serie A win over Venezia last Sunday, thanks to goals from Mario Pasalic and Mateo Retegui. The latter, now top of the goal-scoring charts in Serie A with eight goals, has been in fiery form this season – although an early-season missed penalty against Arsenal on the opening matchday of the Champions League might have dented his confidence.
The thumping 3-0 round two success against Shakhtar Donetsk got Gian Piero Gasperini’s side back on track after their opening-day defeat and proved a perfect statement of intent in European competition. By contrast, Celtic slumped to the heaviest of 7-1 defeats against Borussia Dortmund to ensure a redeeming performance is essential.
Celtic Struggles on the Road
Celtic’s Champions League campaign has been all ups and downs so far. Put in a dominant 5-1 home win against Slovan Bratislava, Brendan Rodgers’s men melted spectacularly away to Dortmund. A further blow arrived last weekend when they blew a two-goal lead in a 2-2 Scottish Premiership draw with Aberdeen that halted their perfect start to the domestic campaign.
With their Champions League away record having them concede on average more than four goals a match in a run of six successive away Champions League defeats, Celtic have an uphill task in Bergamo.
Team News
Injuries will keep Gianluca Scamacca, Giorgio Scalvini, Rafael Toloi, Marco Brescianini, and Odilon Kossounou from featuring for Atalanta. Sead Kolasinac is, however, expected back into the line-up following his absence during the weekend’s win against Venezia.
Celtic will have to make do without the services of Greg Taylor as he is ruled out with a hamstring injury while mainstay central defender Cameron Carter-Vickers is yet to recover, leaving Auston Trusty to cover at centre-back.
Predicted Line-ups
Atalanta (3-4-2-1):
Marco Carnesecchi; Berat Djimsiti, Isak Hien, Sead Kolasinac; Davide Zappacosta, Ederson, Marten de Roon, Matteo Ruggeri; Lazar Samardzic, Ademola Lookman; Mateo Retegui.
Celtic (4-3-3):
Kasper Schmeichel; Alistair Johnston, Auston Trusty, Liam Scales, Alex Valle; Arne Engels, Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate; Nicolas Kuhn, Kyogo Furuhashi, Daizen Maeda.
Atalanta vs Celtic Prediction
Unbeaten and stout at the back in Europe, Atalanta could do no wrong. Celtic will probably tidy things up after that disastrous defeat in Germany but are likely to find life on the road a bit tough. Expect Atalanta to secure a comfortable win perhaps by an inviting margin of goals.
FullTime Prediction: Atalanta 3-0 Celtic
