The Daily Star Ireland
Atalanta’s impressive run of nine consecutive victories across all competitions was halted last week with a 2-3 loss to Real Madrid in the Champions League. The defeat was made more painful by a missed opportunity in the final minute of stoppage time when Retegui, left unmarked in front of goal, failed to capitalize on a tense cross from Lookman.
This past weekend, Atalanta traveled to Cagliari, aiming to maintain their top spot in Serie A. Their opponents in this upcoming match are Cesena, a second-division team currently positioned near the top of the league, virtually guaranteeing a place in the promotion playoffs.
Cesena struggled in their previous three matches, including two defeats to Frosinone (3-2) and Bari (1-0), but managed to secure a 1-0 win against Cosenza last weekend. The team has already participated in three rounds of the Coppa Italia, defeating Pisa, Hellas Verona, and Padova.
Atalanta will likely be without key players due to injuries, including Juan Cuadrado and Scalvini, while Scamacca, who has been a reliable scorer, might also be rested for this match. Retegui, who replaced Scamacca in recent games, may also start, though some changes could see Kossounou or Zappacosta feature in the lineup.
Lookman, a finalist for the African Ballon d’Or, has been in exceptional form, contributing 11 goals and 5 assists in Serie A and the Champions League. On the other side, Cesena will rely on their own key players, including Albanian international Shpendi, who has scored 10 goals in Serie B, and Sierra Leone’s Augustus Kargbo, with 3 goals and 2 assists.
Prediction
Cesena, who have not been performing well recently, will face a tough challenge against Atalanta, a team with a strong home record. Expect a dominant performance from Atalanta in what will be a difficult debut for Cesena in this matchup.
Prediction: Atalanta 4-1 Cesena.
