Having finally lost their unbeaten record last week, Atalanta BC aim to bounce back straight away, as they visit Empoli at Stadio Carlo Castellani on Sunday.
La Dea slipped to fourth in the Serie A standings after a 2-0 home loss to Lazio, but have won four and drawn one of their away fixtures so far. Meanwhile, their hosts occupy a slot in mid-table despite a heavy defeat last time out.
Match preview
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One of just four clubs still to taste defeat this season across Europe's top five leagues, Atalanta were aware that such status would be put to the test by an in-form Lazio side last Sunday, when the teams met in Bergamo.
Even without Capocannoniere Ciro Immobile unavailable due to injury, the visitors were able to open up La Dea's previously watertight defence more than once, as goals early in either half sent Maurizio Sarri's men back to Rome with maximum points. Atalanta, meanwhile, failed to force a single shot on target, and their misery was complete when Luis Muriel was sent off late on.
Level with Lazio on 24 points from 11 games, the Nerazzurri are now five adrift of relentless leaders Napoli, but remain in the mix for the top-four race - sitting above Juventus, Inter and Roma.
After both losing and failing to score for the first time this season, Gian Piero Gasperini will expect his charges to get straight back on track in Tuscany this weekend, as they have so clearly improved since ending a disappointing 2021-22 campaign with consecutive defeats in May - one of which was against Empoli.
The need to pick up points at Stadio Castellani is all the more pressing, as Atalanta must face both Napoli and Inter during their final three fixtures before the World Cup intervenes.
One of the rare benefits of being locked out of European competition this term has been more time for Gasperini to work with his squad on the training pitch, so they should be fit and firing for Serie A's early Sunday kickoff.
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After their 1-0 victory in Bergamo when they last met Atalanta, Empoli could now win successive top-flight encounters between the clubs for the very first time.
That success was one of few during 2022 for the Tuscan outfit, who tailed off dramatically last term following a bright start to life back in the Italian elite - under new coach Paolo Zanetti, results have slowly begun to improve.
Despite a 4-0 reverse to fallen giants Juventus last weekend, the Azzurri are five points clear of the Serie A drop zone heading into the 12th round, and their only losses since August have come against Roma, Milan and Juve.
With three home fixtures to fulfil before all thoughts turn to Qatar, an opportunity exists to improve their situation still further - though Atalanta will prove no pushovers and their final away game is at Napoli's forbidding southern stronghold, Stadio Maradona.
Having had the greater share of possession against Juventus but failed to find the net, Zanetti's most obvious restriction, though, remains a minimal goal threat: Empoli have scored just 10 times this season across 12 league and cup games.
Team News
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Positive news for Atalanta, regarding captain Rafael Toloi's return to full training this week, was effectively cancelled out by a medical update on Dutch midfielder Marten de Roon, who is now sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Davide Zappacosta is also a doubt to be involved on Sunday, while Luis Muriel must serve a suspension following his dismissal against Lazio. The latter's Colombian compatriot Duvan Zapata is set to step in up front; he scored on his last visit to the Castellani in October 2021.
As Berat Djimsiti completed his comeback from injury by starting last week, he will compete with youngsters Giorgio Scalvini and Caleb Okoli to join Merih Demiral in the visitors' back three.
Meanwhile, ex-Atalanta striker Sam Lammers meets up with his former colleagues, hoping to improve his shooting accuracy for the occasion: of all Serie A forwards to have scored only once this season, he has attempted the most shots so far (23).
Martin Satriano and Mattia Destro started up front against Juventus, but both drew blanks again, so Lammers and Nicolo Cambiaghi will come into contention.
The hosts could be without defensive duo Ardian Ismajli and Lorenzo Tonelli due to injury, while midfielder Alberto Grassi is also a concern.
Empoli possible starting lineup:
Vicario; Stojanovic, De Winter, Luperto, Parisi; Haas, Marin, Bandinelli; Bajrami; Satriano, Lammers
Atalanta BC possible starting lineup:
Sportiello; Okoli, Demiral, Djimsiti; Hateboer, Pasalic, Koopmeiners, Soppy; Ederson; Lookman, Zapata
We say: Empoli 1-1 Atalanta BC
An aberration against Juve aside, Empoli have proved a tough nut to crack for many teams this term, having drawn five times so far. With home advantage, too, the Azzurri can hold Atalanta at bay for long spells and should grind out another valuable point.
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Jonathan O'Shea
