Overview
AS Roma is having an impressive start in Serie A with two consecutive wins without conceding a goal. However, Atalanta also won all 2 rounds and promises to create a difficult challenge for the Olimpico home team.
Gian Piero Gasperini's team successively defeated Fiorentina and Lecce with a score of 4-0 to rise to the top of the rankings. This is a promising start in Gasperini's first season leading Roma, after he left Atalanta.
In the victory over Lecce last weekend, Roma almost decided the result after only 25 minutes. Donyell Malen scored a double, Matias Soule scored another goal before newcomer Rodrigo Mora sealed a 4-0 victory.
Malen is becoming the biggest bright spot in Roma's attack. After creating an effective connection with Paulo Dybala, the Dutch striker has scored 19 goals in his first 20 appearances in Serie A, thereby setting a new club record. This form gives Roma more confidence before returning to the Champions League next week.
In the immediate future, Gasperini must face his old team Atalanta. Roma has only won 1 in the last 12 times they have hosted Atalanta at the tournament, including a 1-1 draw at the Olimpico in April.
Head-to-head record is also leaning towards Atalanta as the Bergamo team is unbeaten in the last 8 encounters with Roma in Serie A. However, Gasperini no longer leads Atalanta after nearly a decade of attachment to the club.
Maurizio Sarri is currently the successor to Atalanta and has had a fairly favorable start. After leaving Lazio in a context of much controversy, the Italian strategist helped the team overcome the Conference League play-offs and win both of their first 2 matches in Serie A.
Atalanta successively defeated Sassuolo and Bologna. In the match against Bologna, Lazar Samardzic scored in the final minutes to bring victory to the home team at Gewiss. Sarri's team has only conceded 1 goal after 4 matches in all competitions.
Atalanta has won their opening away match in Serie A in 6/7 recent seasons. Therefore, the confrontation at the Olimpico will be a highly anticipated match between Roma, who is sublimating under Gasperini, and promising Atalanta of Sarri.
Personnel situation
In terms of strength, Roma parted ways with Robinio Vaz and Neil El Aynaoui on loan, but still retained Manu Kone amid strong interest from Chelsea.
Leonardo Balerdi may be given a chance to debut if Evan Ndicka does not recover from a minor knee injury in time. In attack, Donyell Malen and Paulo Dybala are likely to continue playing as a pair, while new signing Santiago Castro will have to wait for an opportunity from the bench.
Atalanta can also introduce two new recruits Franck Kessie and Jonathan Rowe. If starting, Rowe will support Nikola Krstovic or Gianluca Scamacca in attack.
Meanwhile, Thomas Kristensen has not yet recovered from an ankle injury and may be absent from this match with Isak Hien, Kamaldeen Sulemana.
Expected lineup:
Svilar, Mancini, Ndicka, Hermoso, Molina, Kone, Cristante, Wesley, Dybala, Mora, Malen.
Atalanta: Carnesecchi, Bellanova, Kossounou, Scalvini, Bernasconi, Ederson, Gaetano, Samardzic, De Ketelaere, Scamacca, Rowe.
The match between Roma and Atalanta takes place at 1:45 am on September 6 (Vietnam time).
