Targeting a return to top spot in the Serie A standings, Atalanta BC's comeback campaign continues apace, as they make the short trip to Monza on Monday.
While La Dea's most recent win helped them onto 10 points from four games, their fellow Lombardy side remain pointless since promotion through the Serie B playoffs.
Match preview
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Welcoming in-form Torino to the Gewiss Stadium for their latest outing on Thursday evening, Atalanta had already won two of their first three Serie A matches and drawn 1-1 with local rivals Milan in the other.
Teun Koopmeiners, who had fired home the game's only goal in a victory at Verona four days previously, enjoyed a special night against the Granata: netting a hat-trick to secure a 3-1 home win.
Even if two of his strikes came from the penalty spot, it confirmed the Dutch midfielder as an integral part of Gian Piero Gasperini's quiet evolution, as La Dea's wily head coach seeks to steer them back towards the top of Italian football.
Having endured a nightmarish first half of 2022, Atalanta failed to earn a place in European competition - something which had become seen as a formality during recent years of unprecedented success - but a lack of midweek matches may ultimately work in their favour as Gasperini attempts to rebuild.
While they are still not at their former free-flowing best in the final third, the Nerazzurri have proved a tough nut to crack this term, and could now keep a clean sheet in their first three away games of a Serie A season for the first time in the club's history.
Furthermore, when on the road, Atalanta's record remains impressive over recent months: they picked up more points away from home last season than Juventus, Lazio and Roma, despite finishing down in eighth.
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As they were only promoted to the top flight for the first time just a few months ago, Monza's league meetings with Atalanta have all been in Serie B, and their only win against Monday's visitors came back in October 1999 - the sides' most recent clash at Stadio Brianteo.
It has not been an easy settling-in period for the Biancorossi so far, as they have lost each and every one of their first four matches at the elite level, after a 3-0 thumping at Roma on Tuesday.
Giovanni Stroppa's side are slumped at the foot of the standings amid a tricky run of fixtures, which sees them follow trips to Naples and the capital with Atalanta's arrival at the Brianteo - and they are set to host Juventus in mid-September.
A whole raft of signings have been delivered to Stroppa by the club's ownership duo of Adriano Galliani and Silvio Berlusconi - including Italy midfielder Matteo Pessina, from Atalanta - and it is now up to the former Crotone coach to mould a side capable of staying afloat in Serie A.
He has lost each of his last 10 top-flight games, though, and if his current club are to avoid making it five in a row on Monday, they will have to improve at both ends of the pitch: conceding 11 times so far and scoring just twice is a not a recipe for success.
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Team News
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As Berat Djimsiti is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a broken leg and Jose Luis Palomino remains suspended for a doping violation, Atalanta's options in central defence remain limited, but they otherwise have no major absentees.
Summer signings Ederson and Brandon Soppy both started in the win over Torino, but Hans Hateboer and Ruslan Malinovskyi in particular will be aiming to push their way back into the first XI at the newcomers' expense.
Jeremie Boga's spell at the club continues, after his departure fell through late in the transfer window, but he is expected to make the bench at best.
Like their visitors, Monza have had a number of defenders unavailable, as Andrea Ranocchia is ruled out by a long-term injury and Pablo Mari has also been out of action - the latter could return on Monday.
Continuing their outlay on squad-building since promotion, the Biancorossi have signed Armando Izzo to reinforce their leaky rearguard - and the ex-Torino centre-back could feature at some stage - while also landing midfielder Nicolo Rovella on loan from Juventus.
Meanwhile, up front, former Atalanta striker Andrea Petagna should be joined by Gianluca Caprari - the latter scored 12 times last term for Verona, but is yet to get off the mark in Serie A this season.
Monza possible starting lineup:
Di Gregorio; Marlon, Mari, Caldirola; Birindelli, Rovella, Pessina, Sensi, Augusto; Caprari, Petagna
Atalanta BC possible starting lineup:
Musso; Hateboer, Toloi, Demiral, Zappacosta; De Roon, Koopmeiners; Ederson, Malinovskyi, Lookman; Zapata
We say: Monza 1-2 Atalanta BC
Monza's wait for a win will go on, as their impressive business in the transfer market may take time to translate into a more competitive team on the pitch. As Atalanta are more settled, and have re-found the winning habit, they can take both three points and top spot.
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Jonathan O'Shea
