Preview: Atalanta BC vs Roma - prediction, team news, lineups

Marking the return of a club legend, Atalanta BC will host Roma when the clubs kick off 2026 with a Saturday night contest.

Gian Piero Gasperini heads back to Bergamo for the first time since leaving as La Dea's most successful manager, but there is no room for sentiment as Serie A's top-four race heats up.

Match preview

Following nine seasons and 342 league matches in charge of Atalanta - most notably lifting the Europa League trophy in 2024 - Gasperini now returns to the scene of that success as Roma's head coach.

His last visit as an opposition manager came while with Genoa nearly 10 years ago - to date, the veteran coach has only lost four of 14 games against La Dea.

His current club will be seeking maximum points this weekend, as they continue to fight for an elusive top-four finish: Roma collected just three points from their last four league games before Christmas, damaging hopes of a return to the Champions League.

Yet, 'Gasp' then overcame another old employer on Monday, as first-half goals from Matias Soule, Manu Kone and Evan Ferguson saw off Genoa at Stadio Olimpico.

Roma therefore sit just three points shy of top spot, with their progress being built on the best defensive record in Italy's top flight - 11 goals conceded in 17 league fixtures so far.

Last year, the capital club kept more clean sheets than anyone else in Serie A (18); ahead of Scudetto rivals Napoli and Inter Milan, they also accrued the most points, having taken their tally up to 82 earlier this week.

However, before heading north to Bergamo, the Giallorossi have lost on all of their last three visits, winning just one of the last seven.

Not only have Atalanta averaged over two goals per game during that seven-game spell, but they have also won five of the last six Serie A meetings, either home or away.

In fact, La Dea could now post four consecutive top-flight wins over Roma for the very first time - but a chaotic start to the post-Gasperini era suggests that might prove difficult.

Having quickly dispensed with Gasp's successor, Ivan Juric, new coach Raffaele Palladino has at least steadied the ship.

After defeating Chelsea last month, Atalanta are on track for a top-eight finish in the Champions League, and they had won four straight home games before hosting Inter.

However, beaten yet again by their fellow Nerazzurri, they succumbed to a second-half strike from Lautaro Martinez, ending 2025 on a down note.

Title contenders until February, the Lombardy club ultimately posted their worst calendar-year win rate since 2016, so Palladino has plenty of work on his hands.

Notably, Atalanta have claimed just four points from seven games against top-half teams this season - only scoring four goals - so they will aim to defy that trend against Roma.

Atalanta BC Serie A form:

L W L W W L

Atalanta BC form (all competitions):

W L W W W L

Roma Serie A form:

W L L W L W

Roma form (all competitions):

L L W W L W

Team News

Palladino is still missing Nigeria forward Ademola Lookman - who, like Ivorian defender Odilon Kossounou, is currently at the Africa Cup of Nations - plus injured wing-back Raoul Bellanova.

Without Lookman, Atalanta will rely on Gianluca Scamacca for inspiration, but the Italy international has played 252 minutes against boyhood club Roma without ever scoring a Serie A goal - his worst record versus any team.

Only Bellanova and long-term absentee Mitchel Bakker are certainly sidelined, though Davide Zappacosta might miss out on meeting his old club with a flexor problem.

Another 'ex', Bryan Cristante should feature in Roma's midfield, which is still missing Morocco star Neil El Aynaoui; centre-back Evan Ndicka is also at AFCON, while Lorenzo Pellegrini will sit out another game with his hamstring strain.

Gasperini recently welcomed Artem Dovbyk back from a thigh injury; Ferguson and Paulo Dybala have also struggled, so it remains to be seen who will start up front.

There is no such doubt between the posts: in 2025, Mile Svilar topped both the clean sheets and save percentage stats across Europe's top five leagues.

Atalanta BC possible starting lineup:

Carnesecchi; Djimsiti, Hien, Kolasinac; Zalewski, De Roon, Ederson, Bernasconi; De Ketelaere, Pasalic; Scamacca

Roma possible starting lineup:

Svilar; Mancini, Ziolkowski, Hermoso; Celik, Kone, Cristante, Wesley; Soule, Dybala; Ferguson