Atalanta and AS Roma head to the New Balance Arena on Saturday evening in what promises to be a compelling Serie A encounter.
AS Roma will look to break their winless run against Atalanta as they have failed to win against them in their last six head-to-head encounters.
Atalanta vs AS Roma – Match preview and team news
- Date: Saturday, 3rd January.
- Kick-off: 7:45pm BST
- Venue: New Balance Arena, Bergamo.
Atalanta team news
Atalanta has suffered a significant blow with the continued absence of Ademola Lookman, the club’s star winger, who is currently competing at the Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria.
Defensive midfielder Odilon Kossounou remains absent for the same continental tournament with Ivory Coast. Long-term absentee Mitchel Bakker continues his rehabilitation, while another player on the injury list, Raoul Bellanova, is expected to miss until mid-January with a hamstring complaint.
The positive news for Raffaele Palladino comes with the availability of Davide Zappacosta, who has fully resumed training after recovering from a thigh flexor issue and might start against his former club. Isak Hien is expected to feature. The squad appears otherwise fit and available for the weekend contest.
AS Roma team news
Gian Piero Gasperini’s Roma contingent faces a depleted squad, with five players unavailable for the Bergamo trip. Most significantly, attacking midfielder Tommaso Baldanzi has withdrawn due to a muscle injury sustained during the final training session, creating a notable gap in midfield creativity.
Lorenzo Pellegrini (hamstring) and Leon Bailey (hamstring/flu) are sidelined with injury concerns expected to sideline them until late January and mid-January respectively.
Depth is compromised by the departure of Evan Ndicka and Neil El Aynaoui for AFCON duties. In response, Gasperini has called upon Primavera prospects Emanuele Lulli (18) and Jacopo Mirra (19) to bolster defensive depth.
Critically, Mario Hermoso has recovered from his groin discomfort and will anchor the defence, while Matías Soulé has returned to full training after resolving knee issues and should retain his starting role. Artem Dovbyk has been declared fit following a recent thigh injury, positioning him to feature in the attack. Also available and declared ready to start is Niccolo Pisilli.
Gasperini expressed confidence in his pre-match media conference, stating: “We have several players dealing with injuries, but we anticipate recovering those affected by the flu. Hermoso is in good shape and will anchor the defence. A few players remain doubtful, but I’m convinced that in the end, we’ll all be there.”
Form
Atalanta
Raffaele Palladino’s side present a mixed picture in their recent performances. The Bergamo club secured victories over Genoa and Cagliari in December before suffering a deflating defeat to Inter Milan on 28 December. Their calendar-year record has been their worst since 2016, presenting a concerning trend for the manager as he attempts to stabilise the team’s form.
AS Roma
Despite a brief wobble before the winter break, Gian Piero Gasperini has successfully reignited Roma’s campaign with a dominant midweek display. Their 3-1 victory over Genoa on 29 December, featuring goals from Matías Soulé (14′), Manu Koné (19′), and Evan Ferguson (31′), demonstrated the kind of intensity the new manager demands.
Roma have established themselves as Serie A’s defensive benchmark. They have conceded merely 11 goals across 17 league matches—the fewest in the division—while maintaining the league’s best clean sheet record throughout 2025. They currently sit fourth in the table with 33 points.
Predicted lineups
Atalanta: Carnesecchi; Djimsiti, Hien, Kolasinac; Zalewski, De Roon, Ederson, Bernasconi; De Ketelaere, Pasalic; Scamacca.
AS Roma: Svilar; Mancini, Ziolkowski, Hermoso; Celik, Kone, Cristante, Wesley; Soule, Dybala; Ferguson.
How to watch Atalanta vs AS Roma?
Fans from the United Kingdom can watch the game live on DAZN.
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