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

Two teams with perfect records will clash in Serie A on Saturday night, when Roma welcome Atalanta BC to Stadio Olimpico.

The Giallorossi have made a blistering start to the new season, but their rivals from Bergamo have also put six points on the board.

Match preview

Set to rejoin Europe's elite next week, Champions League-bound Roma are currently full of confidence, having won twice this term without conceding a goal.

Back-to-back 4-0 victories have left them top of the very early Serie A standings, while continuing the fine work done during Gian Piero Gasperini's first year in charge.

The former Atalanta coach - who spent nearly a decade with La Dea and memorably won the Europa League - saw his side cruise past Fiorentina, before beating Lecce last weekend.

Against the latter, Roma virtually wrapped up all three points within 25 minutes, as goal-machine Donyell Malen bagged a brace and Matias Soule added a third; summer signing Rodrigo Mora later netted the fourth.

Having forged a fluent partnership with Paulo Dybala, Malen has now notched 19 goals in his first 20 Serie A appearances - comfortably a new club record - and he will soon aim to maintain that rate in the Champions League.

Before facing down former managers Jose Mourinho and Luis Enrique - currently coaching Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain respectively - Roma must try to extend their strong domestic form.

However, the Giallorossi have won just one of their last 12 top-flight home games against Atalanta, including a 1-1 draw at the Olimpico in April.

Either home or away, Atalanta are actually unbeaten in the last eight league meetings - but Gasperini was in charge of La Dea for most of that period.

Since his departure just over a year ago, the Bergamaschi have already disposed of two successors, but the current incumbent has made quite a promising start.

Veteran coach Maurizio Sarri was hired after an acrimonious exit from Lazio, who are, of course, Roma's arch-rivals.

Sarri has already steered Atalanta through the Conference League playoffs and won both of his first two Serie A fixtures, conceding just one goal in four matches.

Having seen off Sassuolo on the opening matchday, it took a last-gasp strike from Lazar Samardzic to snatch maximum points from Bologna on Monday.

Now, they will head out on the road, having won their first top-flight away game in six of the last seven seasons.

Roma Serie A form:

Atalanta BC Serie A form:

Atalanta BC form (all competitions):

Team News

Roma have may have loaned out Robinio Vaz and Neil El Aynaoui, but Manu Kone stayed put despite strong interest from Chelsea.

At the end of a busy transfer window, they acquired long-serving Atalanta captain Marten de Roon, who has made 270 of his 340 Serie A appearances under Gasperini.

Another recent arrival, Leonardo Balerdi could step into the hosts' defence, potentially making his debut in place of Evan Ndicka, who has a minor knee injury.

Up front, Malen and Dybala are set to be paired once again, so summer signing Santiago Castro should stay on the bench.

Atalanta's most eye-catching late arrivals were Franck Kessie and English winger Jonathan Rowe - who may both make their debut - while teenage star Honest Ahanor has moved to the Premier League.

If picked to start, Rowe would support either Nikola Krstovic or Gianluca Scamacca in the final third, with the two strikers sharing playing time this term.

Thomas Kristensen is still struggling with an ankle injury sustained in the first leg of the Conference League playoff, so he could join Isak Hien and Kamaldeen Sulemana on the sidelines.

Roma possible starting lineup:

Svilar; Mancini, Balerdi, Hermoso; Molina, Kone, Cristante, Wesley; Dybala, Mora; Malen

Atalanta BC possible starting lineup:

Carnesecchi; Zappacosta, Kossounou, Scalvini, Bernasconi; Ederson, Gaetano, Samardzic; De Ketelaere, Scamacca, Rowe

We say: Roma 2-1 Atalanta BC

Roma can reverse the recent trend in this match-up, after Atalanta's strong run of five wins from the last six encounters.

Formidable on home turf, the hosts are already purring in and around the opposition box, while their visitors are still adapting to the precise demands of 'Sarri-ball'.

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