Monza-Atalanta is a match of the fifth day of Serie A and is played on Monday at 18:30
Lonely at the bottom of the table is Monza, since yesterday the only team still pinned to zero points after the draw between Cremonese and Sassuolo, which allowed the grigiorossi – along with the brianzoli the only ones who, before this day, had not been able to get a positive result – to move up the rankings. Giovanni Stroppa, the Biancorosso coach, is also hoping to break the spell in the first Lombardy derby against the better-ranked Atalanta and win the first, historic, point in the top flight.
To do so will, in any case, require a clear turnaround. In fact, the numbers recorded in these first four rounds by the most ambitious newly-promoted team – at least on paper – and the one that has invested the most in the market, in order to aim at something more important than simple salvation, are worrying. Monza have so far been a great disappointment both from an offensive point of view – only two goals scored, all in front of their own public and none away – but above all from a defensive point of view: with eleven goals conceded they are currently the most perforated defence in Serie A. Outside the ‘Brianteo’ there is still the ‘work in progress’ sign hanging, predictable after the arrival of so many new players, but the feeling is that Stroppa does not have much time at his disposal.
The Dea, on the other hand, got off to an almost perfect start, taking advantage of the collapse of Mourinho’s Roma in Udine to take the lead in the standings. Gian Piero Gasperini’s Nerazzurri, who got off to a slow start after an anonymous season, collected two away victories (Sampdoria and Verona, keeping their goals unbeaten in both matches) and in the last round they won 3-1 against Juric’s Torino thanks to a fantastic Koopmeiners’ hat-trick, showing that they have all the right cards to start a new, interesting cycle.
Monza-Atalanta: latest line-up news
Koopmeiners and Zappacosta
Monza will immediately make their debut with Rovella, who arrived on loan from Juventus in the last days of the market. Sensi and Pessina are at risk instead, threatened by Barberis and Colpani. Stroppa has far fewer doubts regarding the flanks, where Birindelli and Carlos Augusto will act. At the back Pablo Marì could be back, while the attack will still be on the shoulders of Caprari and Petagna, with Dany Mota ready to relieve the former Verona man.
In Atalanta, Gasperini has to deal with the injury problems of the Colombian duo Zapata-Muriel and is forced to start Danish youngster Hojlund from the first day. Behind him, Malinovskyi, who will probably play against Pasalic, and Ederson. Zappacosta will compete for a shirt with Maehle on the left, at the back trust in the trio Toloi-Demiral-Okoli.
The prediction
Monza could be forced to postpone the appointment with the first useful result, and in such a complicated situation they find on their way an Atalanta already with many certainties at their disposal and on the wings of enthusiasm due to the possibility of finding themselves alone at the top of the table. Dea’s victory is highly probable in a challenge in which both teams are likely to score.
Monza v Atalanta likely line-up
- MONZA (3-5-2): Di Gregorio, Marlon, Caldirola, Pablo Marì; Birindelli, Pessina, Sensi, Rovella, Carlos Augusto; Caprari, Petagna.
- ATALANTA (3-4-2-1): Musso; Toloi, Demiral, Okoli; Soppy, de Roon, Koopmeiners, Maehle; Ederson, Malinovskyi; Hojlund.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-2
