Europa League finalists Atalanta take on fifth-place chasing Roma.
Atalanta vs
Roma
Atalanta, fresh off securing a historic Europa League final spot, look to extend their winning streak to five games in a top-of-the-table clash against Roma at Gewiss Stadium on Sunday evening.
Atalanta
Atalanta sealed a spot in the Europa League final on Thursday night after a 4-1 aggregate win over Marseille, following a 3-0 victory in the semi-final second-leg encounter. The Goddess will now take on Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen, who defied all odds for a late 2-2 draw against Roma, in the final scheduled for Wednesday, May 22.
"It will be a historic occasion for a team like ours, who don't have the numbers (of fans) to win. It's really incredible, but it bodes well for everyone,'' Gasperini said after his side reached their first-ever European final.
Back in Serie A, Atalanta are coming off a three-game winning run following Monday’s 2-1 win over Salernitana. La Dea are in 5th place, four points behind 4th-placed Bologna before the weekend’s clash with Roma.
The Goddess will be looking to extend their winning streak to five games in a row, in a bid to boost their confidence before Wednesday’s Coppa Italia final against Juventus. Sunday’s top-of-the-table clash between Atalanta and Roma, both with 60 points, will serve as a litmus test for the Nerazzurri.
La Dea, who have scored 143 Serie A goals in 123 matches against Roma, their most against a single opponent, will be looking to add a few more on Sunday. Gasperini is expected to deploy the familiar 3-4-2-1 formation, with Gianluca Scamacca leading the attack.
Roma
Despite a two-goal lead in Thursday’s second-leg semifinal against Leverkusen, Roma failed to reach the final after an aggregate 4-2 loss to the newly crowned Bundesliga champions. Roma’s Leandro Paredes [43’ P., 66’ P.] bagged a brace from the penalty spot to restore parity across both legs before late goals from Leverkusen ended hopes of reaching the final.
In Serie A, Roma [17W, 9D, & 9L] are right below Atalanta in 6th place, hoping to leapfrog the hosts. The Giallorossi [WLWDD] are without a win in two Serie A games following last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Juventus.
With their last two games ending in a draw, another draw on Sunday will see both fixtures in Serie A between Roma and Atalanta end in a draw for the second time in the three points per win era, after 2018/19. Both sides shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture in January.
A 4—2—3—1 formation with Romelu Lukaku in attack is anticipated for Sunday’s game.
