Spezia-Atalanta on the pitch at 12:30
Three lengths (at least) to recover from the Romans in as many stages from now to the end and Fiorentina to break away, waiting for the championship match with Milan and greetings to the public with Empoli. In La Spezia, for Atalanta, the beginning of the triptych of truth to measure the continuation of their European ambitions is set for Sunday for lunch against one of only four teams beaten in Bergamo in the league. Against Thiago Motta, second pupil of Gian Piero Gasperini in the last three games after the frantic 4-4 torn in the final at Juric’s Turin, the only certainty is the obligation to make full loot with an opponent not yet mathematically safe. The doubts, on the other hand, concern the formation, given the pre-tactics on the unsubscribed list of squads, or rather the state of form of not a few big players, who arrived with very tight muscles at the end of a season lived upside down from January onwards, between the elimination to the quarterfinals both in the Italian Cup and in the Europa League and just 18 points in 16 matchdays of the second round.
Among the inverted-field scorers, Pasalic on November 20 at Gewiss Stadium seem sure of their place, scoring from 3 games in a row despite the last two roles as a substitute and at 12 the Nerazzurri top scorer on the home front, and Malinovskyi, too expected to return as starter provided that the Colombian couple of the attack allow themselves a weekend break. If Muriel fenced off only with Salernitana, in fact, Zapata, after having stamped the card in Venice, remained prey to a certain abulia, also due to fatigue in the left adductor whose injury, reported on 21 December at Genoa’s home. , cost him 15 games throughout the winter including 9 in Serie A.
The only center forward of position and physique in the squad also had to train separately in at least two out of four weekly sessions in Zingonia, together with Scalvini, the other excluded albeit unofficial: from third defense, to less than one four counter-tack by lowering the pendulums (Maehle or Hateboer and Zappacosta, De Roon backward (with Koopmeiners-Freuler median) together with Demiral and one between Djimsiti and the distrusted Palomino, another among the weary illustrious and a card from the disqualification against the Milan. After the eve of the ritual silence, the Bergamo coach still remembers the admission on Monday evening after the 1-1 against Salernitana, having attributed the thinness of the team to the lack of spirit, intensity and prolificacy. it is true that a cycle is over, the goal is to aim in extremis for one of the two minor continental cups by running the race on oneself.
Probable formations of Spezia-Atalanta:
Spezia (4-2-3-1): 94 Provedel; 27 Amian, 28 Erlic, 43 Nikolaou, 13 Reca; 25 Major, 14 Kiwior; 11 Gyasi, 33 Agudelo, 10 Verde; 9 Manaj. (1 Zoet, 40 Zovko, 6 Bourabia, 7 Sala, 8 Kovalenko, 15 Hristov, 20 Batons, 21 Ferrer, 22 Antiste, 29 Salcedo, 39 Nguiamba, 77 Bertola). All .: T. Motta. Suspended: none. Beware: Bastoni, Gyasi, Kovalenko, T. Motta (coach). Unavailable: Leo Sena, Colley.
Atalanta (3-4-1-2): 1 Musso; 42 Scalvini, 28 Demiral, 19 Djimsiti; 33 Hateboer, 15 De Roon, 11 Freuler, 3 Maehle; 88 Pasalic; 18 Malinovskyi, 9 Muriel. (31 Rossi, 57 Sportiello, 6 Palomino, 46 Citizens, 77 Zappacosta, 7 Koopmeiners, 32 Pessina, 10 Boga, 20 Mihaila, 59 Miranchuk, 91 Zapata, 99 Cisse). Coach: Gasperini. Disqualified: none. Warning: Palomino. Unavailable: Pezzella, Toloi.
Referee: Maresca di Napoli Snai odds: 6.50; 5.00; 1.43.
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