Atalanta take on the visitors Athletic Bilbao in the round 7 match of UEFA Champions League – League Phase. The match will be played on Wednesday, January 21st at New Balance Arena (Bergamo).
Atalanta had been under Gasperini’s guidance for a long time up to and including last season. He brought the club to a consistently high level and, even after announcing his departure, finished third in Serie A while also reaching the Champions League playoffs. In the summer, Atalanta decided to bet on Juric, but as in the 2024/2025 season at his previous clubs, the experiment failed and he was dismissed quickly. Palladino, who replaced him, stabilized the situation almost immediately: frequent victories allowed the team to reclaim familiar top positions in Serie A. This improvement was reflected in the Champions League as well. After starting with a heavy 0-4 loss to Paris Saint-Germain and failing to score at home against Slavia Prague in the third round, Atalanta went on a winning run and largely secured an early place in the playoffs. Still, adding a few more points, especially at home, would strengthen their position even further. Recent league results show growing confidence and balance, suggesting that the coaching change has finally paid off. The overall trend points to a team that is regaining consistency at the right moment of the season.
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Athletic do not look like themselves this season. During Valverde’s current spell in Bilbao, the Basque side achieved a lot in a very short time. This included their first cup title in 40 years and a fourth-place finish in the previous La Liga campaign, along with a Europa League semifinal appearance. The summer looked promising, with contract renewals and a positive start to the season. However, autumn brought numerous problems, and results quickly became mediocre. January only deepened the concerns, as Athletic were knocked out of the Super Cup by Barcelona with a crushing 0-5 defeat. Their return to the Champions League has also been disappointing, with only one win, against Qarabag, alongside several heavy losses and goalless draws in recent rounds, first away to Slavia Prague and then at home against Paris Saint-Germain. Now, only a victory keeps their playoff hopes alive. The lack of attacking efficiency has clearly hurt their overall results. Combined with defensive lapses, this has made the season far more difficult than expected.
This will be Athletic’s first visit to Bergamo. After the coaching change, the hosts have found their rhythm and look more convincing. Under these conditions, Atalanta should be able to secure another victory.
Prediction for the match: Atalanta to win.
