Sunday’s Serie A action closes out at the Gewiss Stadium with a mouth-watering top-four six-pointer between Atalanta and Inter. With eight points separating the sides ahead of the kick-off, this may be the home side’s final chance to return in contention for the title.
La Dea have enjoyed a stellar start to the new calendar year, winning both competitive matches in 2022 by an aggregate score of 8-2, including a 6-2 victory at Udinese in their most recent league outing. Having put their preceding two-game winless streak in Serie A firmly behind (D1, L1), the hosts are aiming to climb up the ladder against hot title favorites.
In the meantime, the Nerazzurri have picked up where they left off in 2021. After eking out a 2-1 home triumph over a spirited Lazio side, Simone Inzaghi’s men defeated arch-rivals Juventus 2-1 in midweek Supercoppa Italiana action, courtesy of Alexis Sanchez’s goal in the last seconds of extra-time.
Atalanta vs Inter Head-to-Head
Atalanta came close to beating Inter in the reverse fixture at the Giuseppe Meazza. However, the VAR ruled their late winner out, helping the reigning Serie A champions preserve a 2-2 draw on home turf. As a result, Inzaghi’s players are now unbeaten in their last six league meetings with this opposition (W2, D4).
Adding to Atalanta’s H2H concerns, their underwhelming 18% win ratio in Serie A matches against Inter remains Gian Piero Gasperini’s worst at the helm of the Bergamo side. But the stakes are even across their last eight H2Hs at the Gewiss Stadium (W2, D4, L2), five of which produced under 2.5 total goals.
Indeed, since the second half of the 2018/19 season, five of Atalanta’s six top-flight encounters against Inter have contained less than three goals, highlighting the potential for a cagey affair here.
Atalanta Form Preview
Atalanta have only won 33.33% of their Serie A games at home this season (W3, D3, L3), returning 12 points in the process. That tally is worse than any other current top-eight side have managed in the division so far. What’s more, just 41% of their Serie A goals scored this season have come in Bergamo (18/44).
Delivering action from the get-go, 56% of Atalanta’s home league matches this season have featured an opening goal inside the first 15 minutes of play. Additionally, a league-high 67% of their Serie A outings at the Gewiss Stadium have offered at least two first-half goals, further underlining Gasperini’s all-out-attack approach from the onset.
Mario Pasalic, who broke the deadlock at Udinese last time out, has already tallied a whopping eight goals in Serie A this season. The Croat is the most prolific midfielder in Italy’s top-flight and will be under the spotlight when Inter arrive in Bergamo tonight.
Inter Form Preview
Inter head into proceedings in the midst of a purple patch, having won their last eight Serie A fixtures in a row, six of which saw them keep a clean sheet. Moreover, the reigning Italian champions are the only side in the division to have smashed a 50-goal barrier going into this matchday (51).
There is a piece of history for the taking here, as the Nerazzurri could become only the second club in Serie A to find the net in 40 matches on the trot. Alongside perennial Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, they are the only side in Europe’s top-five leagues to have scored in every top-flight game this term.
Even if they concede the opener, Inter should have enough character to bounce back, with Inzaghi’s men remaining the only Serie A side to have avoided defeat in every league match in which they conceded first this term (W4)!
Keep an eye on ex-Milan playmaker Hakan Calhanoglu. The Turkish star has scored in three of Inter’s four Serie A travels since the start of November.
Atalanta vs Inter Predicted Line-ups
Atalanta (3-4-3): Juan Musso; Berat Djimsiti, Jose Luis Palomino, Merih Demiral; Joakim Maehle, Marten de Roon, Remo Freuler, Hans Hateboer; Ruslan Malinovskyi, Mario Pasalic, Luis Muriel.
Inter (3-5-2): Samir Handanovic; Alessandro Bastoni, Stefan de Vrij, Milan Skriniar; Matteo Darmian, Ivan Perisic, Marcelo Brozovic, Nicolo Barella, Hakan Calhanoglu; Lautaro Martinez, Alexis Sanchez.