Atalanta analysis: What form, squad and tactics reveal ahead of the second leg

With plenty of familiar faces from the Bundesliga, a tried-and-tested 3-4-2-1 formation and a reputation for causing top teams real problems, Atalanta are anything but easy opponents. Although La Dea are currently going through a slump in form, their performances against the top teams in Serie A show just how difficult and resilient the Lombardy club can be. Check out our opposition analysis to find out why FC Bayern must not underestimate Atalanta in the slightest, despite their clear 6-1 victory in the first leg.

Atalanta’s current form

Atalanta are still right in the hunt for the European places in Serie A. With 29 games played, La Dea are sitting in seventh place on 47 points and are striving to keep pace with sixth-placed Roma (51). Having not lost a single league match in January and February, Raffaele Palladino’s side have recently run out of steam: across all competitions, the Bergamaschi have failed to record a win in five matches. They did achieve a respectable result at the weekend when they snatched a point from league leaders Inter Milan (1-1). Captain Marten de Roon and his teammates have already demonstrated this calendar year that they can trip up the top sides in Serie A, having beaten Napoli (2-1), Juventus (3-0) and Roma (1-0), so Bayern should not be complacent going into Wednesday’s clash, despite their comfortable lead.

Kolašinac & Co: A host of familiar names at Atalanta

Despite the winter departure of star player Ademola Lookman (Atlético Madrid), Atalanta need not worry about a lack of firepower in attack, thanks in part to Berlin-born Lazar Samardžić (24), who has scored three times in nine Champions League appearances. In the second leg of the play-off against BVB, the former Hertha and Leipzig player scored a textbook penalty just before the final whistle, slamming the ball into the bottom-right corner with power and precision. Looking at the defence, there are also some familiar faces from the Bundesliga: former Schalke player Sead Kolašinac (32) is a leader at Atalanta, Odilon Kossounou (25) joined from Bayer 04 Leverkusen at the start of the season, and Mitchel Bakker (25) also previously wore the Werkself shirt. Germany international Robin Gosens played for Atalanta between 2017 and 2022, making a total of 157 competitive appearances for the club.

A back three or a back four? How Palladino sets up his team

The Atalanta squad features a mix of veterans and youngsters, alongside numerous players who are in their prime. Take Nikola Krstović (26), for example, who scored the late equaliser at the Giuseppe Meazza on Saturday. He's currently the most prolific striker in the Bergamo side, alongside Gianluca Scamacca (27): Both have already found the back of the net eight times this season. However, Palladino, who deployed a defensive back four only against Bayern and who otherwise usually relies on a 3-4-2-1 formation has room for just one centre-forward in his system. The two wide positions, usually occupied by Krstović or Scamacca, are typically filled by Samardžić, Nicola Zalewski or Kamaldeen Sulemana. The pair of captain de Roon and Mario Pasalic are the holding midfielders, with veteran Davide Zappacosta (right) and Lorenzo Bernasconi (left) defending on the flanks. In front of goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi, Kolašinac, Kossounou and Isak Hien form the back three.

A look at the squad

Charles De Ketelaere, who had been sidelined since early February with a meniscus injury, returned to action in Saturday’s 1-1 draw in Milan so is likely to be back in the squad for the match against FC Bayern. Giorgio Scalvini and Éderson, who were also absent for the first leg of the round of 16, got in some game time in the clash with Inter and are in contention for selection on Wednesday. Atalanta, however, will still be without Giacomo Raspadori, who has been sidelined for weeks with a muscle strain – he wasn't included in the Bergamo side’s squad at the weekend either.

Atalanta’s greatest successes

Atalanta celebrated the greatest success in the club’s history in the 2023/24 campaign, when Lookman and Co. won the Europa League with an impressive 3-0 win over Leverkusen in the final. Along with one Serie C title and five Serie B championships, there’s also a Coppa Italia in the Lombardy club’s trophy cabinet. Since the 2016/17 campaign, Atalanta have featured regularly in Europe.

Quarter- and semi-finals: What could follow

We already know what lies ahead for Bayern in the competition should they manage to beat Atalanta. In the quarter-finals, the Munich side would face the winners of the heavyweight clash between Real Madrid and Manchester City. Having won the first leg 3–0, Los Blancos are in a strong position to progress. In the semi-finals, the Reds would face either Paris Saint-Germain or Chelsea (5–2 in the first leg), or the victors between Galatasaray and Liverpool (1-0 in the first leg).

The finalists from the other half of the draw will come from Arsenal or Bayer 04 Leverkusen (1–1), FK Bodø/Glimt or Sporting Lisbon (3–0), Atlético Madrid or Tottenham Hotspur (5–2), and Newcastle United or Barcelona (1–1).

Atalanta pulled off a surprise against Inter Milan at the weekend: