Separated by just two points in the Serie A standings, Atalanta BC and fellow top-four contenders Lazio meet at the Gewiss Stadium on Sunday.
Just ahead of the Derby d'Italia, the two teams will fight it out on an attractive undercard, as the hosts aim to keep a slim advantage over their Roman counterparts.
Match preview
© Reuters
After back-to-back home wins without conceding a goal, Atalanta have accrued no fewer than 25 points from 11 games at the Gewiss Stadium this season - equalling the Bergamo club's best-ever tally at this stage.
La Dea edged into Italy's top four by beating Frosinone 5-0 and then Udinese 2-0, and sights are now firmly set on securing a Champions League return for next season.
Still involved in the Europa League and set to take part in the Coppa Italia semi-finals, Atalanta are truly a force to be reckoned with on home soil, with Charles De Ketelaere and several others stepping up in the absence of Nigeria star Ademola Lookman.
Gianluca Scamacca and the recently reintegrated Aleksei Miranchuk struck to help see off Udinese last time out, and fixtures against mid-table Genoa and Sassuolo await later this month.
However, the Nerazzurri must first face another form side, Lazio, while two Lombardy derbies against AC Milan and Inter Milan will round off an action-packed February for Gian Piero Gasperini and co.
Having won just one of their last six league meetings with this week's opponents, after going undefeated through the previous seven, Atalanta will be aiming to avenge October's 3-2 loss at Stadio Olimpico, when they fought back from two goals down only to let a precious point slip late on.
© Reuters
After their victory in the reverse fixture, Lazio are now looking to do the double over Atalanta for the first time since 2017 - and they will start Sunday evening unbeaten in their last three visits to Bergamo.
More recently, the capital club have not lost in five league matches, in a run featuring four wins and three clean sheets.
Like La Dea, Lazio's last two outings saw their opponents shut out, and a 1-0 victory over Lecce plus a grim goalless draw with Napoli has helped them post their best streak without defeat for nearly a year.
Maurizio Sarri's side also overcame arch-rivals Roma in last month's Coppa Italia quarter-finals, booking a semi-final tie against Juventus, and are soon to resume their Champions League campaign with a last-16 clash against Bayern Munich.
The picture is now looking far brighter, then, for a team that started slowly this season - yet they are still a few points shy of returning to the all-important top four.
Beating a direct rival in that regard would turn their recent run into a full-blown resurgence; one resembling last year's stride through the pack to finish distant runners-up to Napoli.
Team News
© Reuters
Midfield mainstay Teun Koopmeiners looks unlikely to recover from an ankle injury in time to start for Atalanta, while recent signing Isak Hien will be ruled out by a hamstring problem and Ademola Lookman is still away at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Roma fan Gianluca Scamacca, who would love to find the net against the Giallorossi's bitterest rivals, should lead La Dea's line: he has scored six Serie A goals this season, from just eight starts across 15 appearances.
Meanwhile, fellow forward Charles De Ketelaere has been directly involved in 10 goals across all competitions since the start of December - five of his own and five assists.
With Patric still absent for Lazio due to a shoulder injury, Mario Gila is set to partner Alessio Romagnoli at the heart of the visitors' back four.
Midfielder Danilo Cataldi must serve a one-match ban, but both Mattia Zaccagni and captain Ciro Immobile are back from suspension. Though the latter should displace Taty Castellanos up front, Zaccagni may miss out with a foot injury.
Atalanta BC possible starting lineup:
Carnesecchi; Scalvini, Djimsiti, Kolasinac; Holm, Ederson, De Roon, Ruggeri; Miranchuk, De Ketelaere; Scamacca
Lazio possible starting lineup:
Provedel; Lazzari, Gila, Romagnoli, Marusic; Guendouzi, Rovella, Alberto; Isaksen, Immobile, Anderson
We say: Atalanta BC 1-0 Lazio
One goal could win this game, as two of Serie A's meanest defences in 2024 meet. Either a moment of magic or madness may prove decisive, with Atalanta's fine home record making them slim favourites to pull further clear of Lazio in the standings.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
