Let’s take a closer look at Friday’s UEFA Champions League clash at Gewiss Stadium with our Atalanta vs Arsenal prediction and preview. Will the Gunners kick off their campaign with a win in Bergamo?
Atalanta vs Arsenal: Match Preview
Arsenal travel to Bergamo on Friday for their Champions League opener against Atalanta, riding high after a pivotal Premier League win over the weekend.
Mikel Arteta’s squad begins their campaign on the road, brimming with confidence following a hard-fought 1-0 victory over fierce rivals Tottenham on Sunday.
Gabriel Magalhães’ second-half header secured the win at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, sending Arsenal into their European fixture with a statement victory that reinforced their early-season title aspirations.
Last season, Arteta’s team reached the Champions League quarter-finals, but a new challenge awaits in the 2024-25 edition. Teams will face eight different opponents – four home and four away – with all 36 clubs competing in a single league table for the group stage.
As they prepare for UEFA’s revamped format, Arsenal can take confidence from having won their opening match in each of their last six major European campaigns (five in the UEFA Europa League and last season’s Champions League).
The last team to defeat Arsenal in their opening game was Dinamo Zagreb in the 2015-16 Champions League, though Atalanta will back themselves to get a strong start at home in this curtain-raiser.
Atalanta’s 3-0 triumph in last season’s Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen marked Gian Piero Gasperini’s 50th game as head coach in major European competitions (excluding qualifiers). The experienced manager has won nearly half of those matches (48%), securing 24 victories (D14 L12).
Ademola Lookman is a player to watch, having netted five goals in his last three Europa League starts last season, including a hat-trick in the final against Leverkusen. He also found the back of the net this past weekend, scoring the decisive goal in Atalanta’s 3-2 win over Fiorentina.
Despite his form, Lookman has yet to score in four previous outings against Arsenal. Additionally, his only Champions League appearance came in October 2019 for RB Leipzig against Zenit.
Goals could be plentiful in this clash, considering Atalanta’s last four matches in this competition — all in the 2021-22 group stage — saw both teams scoring two or more goals (D2 L2). However, no team in European Cup history has both scored and conceded 2+ goals in five consecutive games.
In their 23 total Champions League matches, Atalanta’s games have averaged 3.6 goals per game (40 scored, 43 conceded), the second-highest average among teams with 20+ appearances in the competition, just behind Viktoria Plzen (3.8 per game).
Factoring in Arsenal’s scoring prowess in European competitions, an action-packed, goal-filled encounter could be on the cards at Gewiss Stadium. Only Atlético Madrid (+6.16) surpassed Arsenal’s overperformance of expected goals (xG) in last season’s Champions League, with Arsenal scoring 19 goals from an xG of 13.51 (+5.49).
Arteta’s side also registered the third-highest shot conversion rate in the competition last season (15.7%), trailing only Manchester United (16.9%) and Atlético Madrid (16.8%). This highlights that Gasperini will need to be wary of Arsenal’s clinical finishing, rather than the volume or quality of chances they produce.
Raheem Sterling, who came off the bench against Tottenham in the last match, could make his Champions League debut for Arsenal in this fixture. If he does, he would become the first player in European Cup history to represent four different English teams.
Having already featured for Liverpool, Manchester City, and Chelsea, Sterling would surpass the likes of David Batty (Leeds, Blackburn, Newcastle), Yossi Benayoun (Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea), William Gallas (Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs), and Kolo Touré (Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool), all of whom played for three English clubs in Europe’s top competition.
While Sterling may need to wait for his starting opportunity, Arteta will likely turn once again to Bukayo Saka. Saka was involved in eight goals across nine Champions League appearances last season.
His four goals and four assists were the highest number of direct goal involvements by an English player in their debut Champions League season, surpassing the previous record of six goals and one assist set by Lee Bowyer for Leeds in 2000-01.
Atalanta vs Arsenal: Head-to-Head
The revamped competition introduces a host of new matchups, with this being the first-ever meeting between Atalanta and Arsenal.
Arteta’s Arsenal will be the fifth English side Atalanta have faced in major European competitions, following encounters with Everton (W2), Manchester City (D1 L1), Liverpool (W2 L2), and Manchester United (D1 L1).
However, Arsenal have struggled in their recent Champions League trips to Italy, losing their last three away games there — against Roma (1-0 in 2009), Milan (4-0 in 2012), and Napoli (2-0 in 2013).
The defeat to Napoli was Arsenal’s most recent visit to Italy, but Arteta’s revitalized Gunners will be determined to put those past disappointments behind them as they seek European glory this time around.
Atalanta vs Arsenal: Team News
Atalanta
Atalanta face fewer injury concerns compared to Arsenal, with their only confirmed absentees being ex-West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca and young center-back Giorgio Scalvini.
Rafael Toloi is also doubtful to recover from a muscle injury in time for the clash with Arsenal, while former Everton defender Ben Godfrey is a question mark due to a minor back issue.
Mateo Retegui, who has already netted four Serie A goals this season, will lead the attack for La Dea. He will be supported by the talented duo of Charles De Ketelaere and Ademola Lookman, both of whom scored alongside Retegui in Atalanta’s 3-2 victory over Fiorentina last weekend.
Atalanta: Predicted Lineup
- Goalkeeper:Â Carnesecchi
- Defenders:Â Djimsiti, Hien, Kolasinac
- Midfielders:Â Bellanova, De Roon, Ederson, Ruggeri
- Forwards:Â Lookman, Retegui, De Ketelaere
Arsenal
Arsenal were without key midfielders Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard in their weekend victory over Spurs, with Rice suspended and Odegaard sidelined due to an ankle injury sustained during international duty.
Adding to their concerns, star player Bukayo Saka limped off at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, potentially joining Mikel Merino, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Kieran Tierney on the injury list.
However, reports indicate that Saka was only dealing with cramp and is expected to be fit for the Atalanta clash. Rice is also set to return after completing his Premier League suspension.
Odegaard remains a doubt but could recover in time to play, joining new signing Riccardo Calafiori and Oleksandr Zinchenko on the list of uncertainties.
Meanwhile, Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling, both substitutes on Sunday, will be eager to start at the Gewiss Stadium.
Arsenal: Predicted Lineup
- Goalkeeper:Â Raya
- Defenders: White, Saliba, Magalhaes, TimberÂ
- Midfielders:Â Partey, Rice, Trossard
- Forwards:Â Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
Atalanta vs Arsenal: Prediction
This match appears to be a tightly balanced contest, with both teams boasting strong talent on the pitch. However, Arsenal’s quality and momentum might just give them the edge. We predict a narrow 0-1 victory for the Gunners.
Prediction: Atalanta 0-1 Arsenal
Where to Watch the Match: Streaming Details and Live Broadcast
The UEFA Champions League 2024-25 match between Atalanta and Arsenal will be broadcast live in India on Sony Sports Network. The match is scheduled to Friday, 20 September 2024 at 12:30 AM Indian Standard Time (IST).
Viewers in India can watch the match live from Stadio di Bergamo. Additionally, for those who prefer online streaming, the match will be available for live streaming on the SonyLIV App.
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When is Atalanta vs Arsenal?
Atalanta will face Arsenal at home on Friday midnight in 20th September from 12:30 am onwards.
