Atalanta-Spezia is a match valid for the round of 16 of the Coppa Italia and is played on Thursday at 15:00: odds, predictions, TV and streaming.
Important signs of Atalanta’s awakening after ending the first half of the season with three worrying defeats in a row. In their first three matches of the new year, the Dea were unbeaten, taking home seven points between Spezia, Bologna and Salernitana, and staying in the slipstream of the two Romans, with whom they share the same number of points (34).
For the Europa League – but also for the Champions League, as fourth place is only three points away at the moment – Gian Piero Gasperini’s team is still in the running and will almost certainly have to be reckoned with, now that they seem to have regained game, goals and points. The attack, which in the first months of the championship had struggled by the usual standards, has suddenly found itself again. From January onwards, the Nerazzurri have never scored less than two goals per game, exaggerating last Sunday in the match against Davide Nicola’s Granata (exonerated but then immediately recalled), to whom they scored eight, sending seven different players into the goal. Thanks to this resounding result – the match against Campania ended 8-2 – Atalanta became the first team to score at least eight goals in a Serie A match.
The last 4 January ended in a draw
With no European commitments on the horizon, Gasperini’s men would theoretically have all the credentials to aim for the Coppa Italia, a trophy that has eluded them twice in recent years.
Gotti and Gasperini
Last year Dea came out on top against Fiorentina, this time they must not repeat the same mistake with Spezia, whom they faced a fortnight ago in the championship. Like Atalanta, Luca Gotti’s Ligurian side have never lost in their first three matches in January: a 2-2 draw with Bergamo, another home draw with Lecce (0-0) and finally the victory on Sunday at home to Torino, pierced by a goal from Nzola. In the cup Spezia have eliminated two B teams, Como and Brescia, and being far from the relegation zone will be able to devote themselves without particular anxiety to the challenge of the Gewiss Stadium.
The prediction
In the league match last 4th January, Atalanta had a big scare in Liguria, being forced to come back from two goals down in the final minutes. Away from home, however, Spezia are less effective, the numbers say so. And, while honouring the competition, the Gotti-coached line-up should succumb to the Dea in another match that promises to be prolific, with both teams scoring.
Atalanta v Spezia matchday squad
- ATALANTA (3-4-1-2): Sportiello; Okoli, Demiral, Djimsiti; Zortea, Ederson, Koopmeiners, Maehle; Pasalic; Muriel, Zapata.
- SPEZIA (3-5-2): Dragowski; Amian, Kiwior, Caldara; Moutinho, Bourabia, Esposito, Zurkowski, Reca; Verde, Nzola.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-1
