{"id":803798,"date":"2024-09-18T22:35:36","date_gmt":"2024-09-18T17:05:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/technosports.co.in\/?p=803798"},"modified":"2024-09-18T22:35:41","modified_gmt":"2024-09-18T17:05:41","slug":"ucl-2024-25-atalanta-vs-arsenal-preview-predict","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/technosports.co.in\/ucl-2024-25-atalanta-vs-arsenal-preview-predict\/","title":{"rendered":"UEFA Champions League 2024\/25: Atalanta vs Arsenal – Preview & Prediction"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Let’s take a closer look at Friday’s UEFA Champions League<\/a> clash at Gewiss Stadium with our Atalanta vs Arsenal prediction and preview. Will the Gunners kick off their campaign with a win in Bergamo?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Atalanta vs Arsenal: Match Preview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Arsenal travel to Bergamo on Friday for their Champions League opener against Atalanta, riding high after a pivotal Premier League win over the weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mikel Arteta\u2019s squad begins their campaign on the road, brimming with confidence following a hard-fought 1-0 victory over fierce rivals Tottenham on Sunday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gabriel Magalh\u00e3es’ 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last season, Arteta\u2019s team reached the Champions League quarter-finals, but a new challenge awaits in the 2024-25 edition. Teams will face eight different opponents \u2013 four home and four away \u2013 with all 36 clubs competing in a single league table for the group stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019s Champions League).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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MILAN, ITALY – AUGUST 30: Ederson of Atalanta BC looks on during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Atalanta at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on August 30, 2024 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Emmanuele Ciancaglini\/Ciancaphoto Studio\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Atalanta\u2019s 3-0 triumph in last season\u2019s Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen marked Gian Piero Gasperini\u2019s 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).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019s 3-2 win over Fiorentina.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Goals could be plentiful in this clash, considering Atalanta’s last four matches in this competition \u2014 all in the 2021-22 group stage \u2014 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In their 23 total Champions League matches, Atalanta\u2019s 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).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Factoring in Arsenal\u2019s scoring prowess in European competitions, an action-packed, goal-filled encounter could be on the cards at Gewiss Stadium. Only Atl\u00e9tico Madrid (+6.16) surpassed Arsenal\u2019s overperformance of expected goals (xG) in last season\u2019s Champions League, with Arsenal scoring 19 goals from an xG of 13.51 (+5.49).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arteta\u2019s side also registered the third-highest shot conversion rate in the competition last season (15.7%), trailing only Manchester United (16.9%) and Atl\u00e9tico 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 31: Leandro Trossard of Arsenal pointing during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Brighton & Hove Albion FC at Emirates Stadium on August 31, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Neal Simpson\/Sportsphoto\/Allstar via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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 Tour\u00e9 (Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool), all of whom played for three English clubs in Europe\u2019s top competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Atalanta vs Arsenal: Head-to-Head<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The revamped competition introduces a host of new matchups, with this being the first-ever meeting between Atalanta and Arsenal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Raoul Bellanova during the Serie A 2024-2025 match between Inter and Atalanta in Torino, Italy, on August 30, 2024 (Photo by Loris Roselli\/NurPhoto via Getty Images).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

However, Arsenal have struggled in their recent Champions League trips to Italy, losing their last three away games there \u2014 against Roma (1-0 in 2009), Milan (4-0 in 2012), and Napoli (2-0 in 2013).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The defeat to Napoli was Arsenal\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Atalanta vs Arsenal: Team News<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Atalanta<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Atalanta: Predicted Lineup<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n