Atalanta-Milan Preview: Lunch Date in Bergamo

Full points last week against Sassuolo would have really helped to give us confidence for this one. Atalanta are the little engine that could, then sold all of their players, then did it all again and again. And instead of losing steam, they are actually in the Champions League this year and into the knockout rounds. Where we should be. Literally, they play at the San Siro. So Milan come into this one with slowly growing confidence, headed just up the road for a lunch date in Bergamo.

Champions League: where we should be

Gasperini’s men made it through to the next round of the Champions League, despite losing their first four matches in the group stage. They know they’ll be facing Valencia, but that is like six weeks away, so you can bet they will be looking to take all three points from us. They only sit three spots above us on the table going into this match, but have a full seven points ahead of us.

Atalanta are doing well, but are certainly not infallible. In fact, they lost 2-1 last week to twelfth place Bologna, who finished on ten men. For that match, Gasperini lined up Gollini; Toloi, Palomino, Djimsiti; Castagne, de Roon, Freuler, Gosens; Pasalic; Malinovsky and Muriel. While I would normally be happy to see our old pal Pasalic, who spent six months on loan at Milan, I cannot wish him well at all, at least not until after the match. Gasperini will likely still be missing Duvan Zapata, who has been out injured.

Homecoming for Kessie, Caldara, and Conti

Pioli has optimism and the team are growing slowly but surely under his watch. He will still be missing Duarte to injury, but the most disconcerting thing is that Theo Hernandez and Paqueta will be suspended for this one due to card accumulation. Kessie, Conti, Caldara, Bonaventura will all be looking to face off against their former club, so will hopefully step up to the challenge and show Atalanta fans what they have been missing.

Time for someone to step up

This will likely be a very difficult game. It is not helpful that it is the lunchtime match, for the players or for those of us who have to be up at 3:30am to watch it. Should we manage a victory, or even a respectable draw, it would be a massive Christmas present. However, it is more likely that Atalanta will shove a lump of coal into our stockings if we are not vigilant. Let us hope for a holiday miracle for our lunch date in Bergamo.

This post inspired by the music of Wham’s “Last Christmas”

Serie A Week 17

Atalanta vs. Milan

Sunday, December 22 • 12:30 CET (6:30am EST)

This match will be shown live on ESPN2 in the U.S.