Last season, Arsenal made it to the last eight of Europe's top tournament, while Atalanta won the Europa League, defeating Bayer Leverkusen, who had been unbeaten until the final.
Arsenal ended a six-year absence from the Champions League last fall, finishing first in Group B ahead of PSV Eindhoven, Lens, and Sevilla, with four wins from six games. They knocked out Porto on penalties but fell to Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals, showing that under Mikel Arteta, the Gunners are a resurgent force.
With back-to-back second-place finishes in the Premier League and their first Champions League quarter-final appearance in 14 years, Arsenal is eager to build on their recent success. This season, they've started strong in the Premier League, staying unbeaten in their first four matches, including a victory in the North London derby.
Defensively solid, having conceded only one goal so far, Arsenal's set-piece prowess continues, with Gabriel’s header against Tottenham marking their 23rd set-piece goal since last season. Ahead of their trip to Lombardy and a crucial match against title rivals Manchester City, Arsenal is riding a six-match winning streak away from home in the Premier League.
On the other hand, Atalanta is preparing to host Champions League football in their newly renovated stadium. After lifting their first European trophy by defeating Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 in the Europa League final, the Italian side returns to UEFA’s elite tournament. Ademola Lookman’s hat-trick helped ease the disappointment of losing the Coppa Italia final just days before, giving veteran coach Gian Piero Gasperini his long-awaited silverware.
Atalanta is entering the Champions League for the fourth time, having previously made it to the knockout stages twice. Despite their success, they've only managed one win in six encounters with Premier League teams but did stun Liverpool with a 3-0 victory at Anfield in last season's Europa League.
Though they finished fourth in Serie A last season, Atalanta has struggled lately, winning just one of their last seven Champions League home games. A tough transfer window and a 2-0 loss to Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup, followed by defeats in two of their first three league games, haven’t helped. However, on Sunday, they rallied to beat Fiorentina, with Lookman netting the decisive goal, offering a boost ahead of their clash with Arsenal.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will have Declan Rice back in the squad after he missed Sunday's game due to suspension, but he's facing several injury headaches ahead of their Champions League opener.Captain Martin Odegaard is out with an ankle injury, and Riccardo Calafiori returned from international duty with a calf problem. New signing Mikel Merino hasn’t played since injuring his shoulder in his first training session, and Bukayo Saka became the latest casualty, forced off during the North London derby. Saka had been instrumental in Arsenal’s Champions League run last season, contributing to eight goals in nine games—the most by an Englishman in their debut season.
Defensive options are also limited, with Kieran Tierney (thigh), Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee), and Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf) all unavailable. On the positive side, Gabriel Jesus made a late appearance at the weekend after recovering from a thigh injury.
For Atalanta, coach Gian Piero Gasperini will have to cope without key players Gianluca Scamacca and Giorgio Scalvini, who are both out long-term. Defenders Rafael Toloi (muscle injury) and Ben Godfrey (back) also missed their win over Fiorentina. However, Sead Kolasinac, who made 80 Premier League appearances for Arsenal, is back from a thigh injury, as is Albanian defender Berat Djimsiti. Nicolo Zaniolo, who has struggled with injuries, was fit enough to make the bench on Sunday.
Up front, Ademola Lookman is likely to partner Italy’s Mateo Retegui. Lookman finished last season strongly, scoring five goals in his last three Europa League games, but he has yet to score in four previous matches against Arsenal.
POSSIBLE LINE UPS
Atalanta BC possible starting lineup:Carnesecchi; Djimsiti, Hien, Kolasinac; Bellanova, Ederson, De Roon, Ruggeri; De Ketelaere, Lookman; Retegui
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber; Partey, Rice; Saka, Trossard, Sterling; Havertz
EXPERT PREDICTION
Atalanta 2-3 Arsena
Atalanta’s 23 Champions League games have averaged 3.6 goals per match, a testament to their attacking style, though it sometimes leaves them vulnerable.
Despite Arsenal’s injury struggles, they remain solid defensively and have plenty of ways to find the back of the net.
