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

Following an epic European success in midweek, Atalanta BC will resume domestic duties on Sunday, when they visit Sassuolo in Serie A.

Four days after pulling off a classic Champions League comeback, La Dea will travel to Reggio Emilia, aiming to post a fourth consecutive league win.

Match preview

Two goals down after last week's first leg, Atalanta were facing long odds to keep their Champions League dreams alive when they welcomed Borussia Dortmund to Bergamo on Wednesday.

Yet, they had overturned that deficit by the hour mark of an enthralling contest, with Mario Pasalic scoring their third goal, before Dortmund levelled the pair's playoff tie at 3-3.

Dramatically, a penalty was then awarded to the hosts deep in second-half stoppage time, and Lazar Samardzic expertly dispatched it into the top corner under the most intense pressure.

Atalanta are therefore Italy's last representative in this season's edition, continuing a proud continental record for the 2024 Europa League winners.

Emerging from the shadows - with Ademola Lookman departed and his replacement Giacomo Raspadori now injured - Pasalic and Samardzic also scored last weekend, as the Bergamaschi beat Napoli 2-1. 

Turning around another deficit, two second-half headers saw off the reigning Serie A champions, inching La Dea even closer to the all-important top four.

Raffaele Palladino's men remain undefeated in domestic fixtures this calendar year - having also booked a place in the Coppa Italia semi-finals - and they have won seven of their last nine league matches.

Indeed, only Scudetto favourites Inter have gained more points and posted more wins than Atalanta and their next opponents over the past five matchdays.

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Following a 3-0 victory in November's reverse fixture - which incidentally led to Palladino's appointment - Sassuolo have won half of their last six league meetings with Atalanta, representing one more success than they managed throughout the first 17.

Promoted back to Italy's top tier last summer, the Emilian club are comfortably on course for survival, and they will be targeting a top-10 finish in May.

Four wins from five have recently lifted Fabio Grosso's side into the top half, surpassing his stated pre-season expectations.

Last time out, Sassuolo strolled past struggling Hellas Verona, winning 3-0 on home turf thanks to an opener scored by Andrea Pinamonti and two goals from talisman Domenico Berardi - the same combination that conquered La Dea.

Now, the Neroverdi could register three consecutive top-flight wins for the first time since March 2023 - but they will face a very different Atalanta team on this occasion.

Sassuolo Serie A form:

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Atalanta BC Serie A form:

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Atalanta BC form (all competitions):

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Team News

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Though Nikola Krstovic sustained a nasty cut to his head while winning Atalanta's last-gasp penalty against Dortmund, the Montenegrin striker should be passed fit to challenge Gianluca Scamacca for a start this weekend.

Ederson has missed the last two matches with a muscular issue, but the Brazilian midfielder may also be ready if required.

However, Palladino is still missing forward pair Raspadori and Charles De Ketelaere, while left-sided centre-back Sead Kolasinac is a doubt.

After finding the net twice in his last two games, Pasalic needs one more goal on Sunday to become La Dea's outright seventh-highest scorer in Serie A.

Despite another injury-hit campaign, Berardi is Sassuolo's main marksman with seven league strikes so far, extending his lead as the club's all-time top scorer.

The Italy winger was directly involved in all three goals against Atalanta in November and has scored eight against them to date; he should feature in a familiar attacking trio, alongside Pinamonti and Armand Lauriente.

Grosso can recall midfield fulcrum Nemanja Matic and highly-rated defender Tarik Muharemovic, both of whom were suspended last week, but Sebastian Walukiewicz must now serve a ban for accumulated bookings.

Sassuolo possible starting lineup:

Muric; Coulibaly, Muharemovic, Idzes, Garcia; Thorstvedt, Matic, Kone; Berardi, Pinamonti, Lauriente

Atalanta BC possible starting lineup:

Carnesecchi; Kossounou, Djimsiti, Ahanor; Zappacosta, De Roon, Pasalic, Bernasconi; Samardzic, Zalewski; Scamacca

We say: Sassuolo 2-2 Atalanta BC

Sassuolo are in fine form and have had more than a week to prepare, while high-flying Atalanta are amid an intense schedule.

So, the Neroverdi can start March with another valuable point on home turf, quelling their visitors' surge towards the top four. 

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.