Atalanta-Cremonese is a match in Week 6 of Serie A and is played on Sunday at 12:30pm
Neither Milan, nor Inter, nor Juve. Neither Roma nor Napoli: at the top of the standings, on day five, is Atalanta. Gian Piero Gasperini’s Dea look down on everyone, and it was not to be taken for granted after an interlocutory season like last year’s, in which it seemed that the Nerazzurri’s golden cycle was coming to an end. Instead, the first rounds have said the opposite: the Orobici, despite changing a lot and renewing almost the entire squad, at the same time managed to maintain their identity, the new signings immediately got on well with the veterans and the coach has a lot of material to work on. In short, Atalanta currently appear to be a credible outsider in a tournament in which the big teams will have practically no time and opportunity to rest until November, while Toloi and his teammates can concentrate exclusively on the league, being out of the cups
The Dea’s surprising supremacy is rooted in a defence that has never been so solid in the Gasperini era. In five games, Atalanta have only conceded two goals as Massimiliano Allegri’s Juventus. They are less sparkling in ball possession than usual, but they know how to hurt: the goals come from every department – especially from the midfielders – and so far the absence of the two Colombian centre-forwards Zapata and Muriel, both out with muscle problems, is not felt at all.
Fresh from the success in Monza – the third in a row after those against Verona and Torino – for the Bergamasks there is another Lombardy derby, this time against Cremonese. Massimiliano Alvini’s men have just picked up their first point since setting foot in the top flight, drawing 0-0 with Sassuolo and ending their losing streak. Among the newly-promoted teams, the Grigiorossi are the ones who have been the most convincing in terms of the game they have played, together with Lecce, but they have paid the price for a prohibitive schedule so far.
Atalanta-Cremonese: latest line-up news
Okereke
Gasperini in Monza launched young Danish centre-forward Hojlund from the 1′, who responded in kind, scoring his first goal since coming to Italy. Without the injured Zapata and with Muriel recovering, it will again be his turn to bear the brunt of the attack, with the coach likely to confirm the 4-2-3-1 he saw at Brianteo. Malinovskyi, Ederson and Lookman will again support him in the back three. In the midfield there will be space for Koopmeiners and de Roon, in the back another exclusion for Okoli, “closed” by Demiral and Toloi.
Few changes also for Alvini, who should reintroduce the 3-4-1-2 with Zanimacchia behind the couple Dessers-Okereke. In the middle, Ascacibar is a candidate for a shirt, but the Argentine is unlikely to undermine Escalante and Pickel. In defence, Lochoshvili will still have the better of former Genoa man Vasquez.
The prediction
Continuity of performance seems to be the strong point of this Atalanta side, who have so far – excluding the home draw with reigning Italian champions AC Milan – always won. Gasperini’s superior technical qualities will also allow Dea to prevail against Cremonese: it is highly unlikely that the grigiorossi will leave the Gewiss Stadium with a positive result, but they could contribute to an entertaining match, with at least three goals in total, given their proactive and almost never giving up attitude.
Atalanta v Cremonese matchday squad
- ATALANTA (4-2-3-1): Musso; Hateboer, Toloi, Demiral, Zappacosta; de Roon, Koopmeiners; Lookman, Ederson, Malinovskyi; Hojlund.
- CREMONESE (3-4-1-2): Radu; Aiwu, Chiriches, Lochoshvili; Ghiglione, Pickel, Escalante, Valeri; Zanimacchia; Dessers, Okereke.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 3-1
