Eyeing a late challenge for a top-four finish, Atalanta travel to Cagliari to build up the perfect momentum for a busy month.
Atalanta’s last league outing was a delightful affair for them as they routed the current Scudetto holders Napoli in a six-pointer clash at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Aleksei Miranchuk, Gianluca Scamacca and Teun Koopmeiners were on the scoresheet as the visitors gave Napoli no chance to retaliate. La Dea could not follow the victory in Naples with another one as Fiorentina edged them out in the first-leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final to take a slim advantage in the tie. Gian Piero Gasperini’s men have to face Liverpool twice this month in the Europa League quarter-finals and the Italian manager will hope to navigate a busy month without much slip-ups.
Meanwhile, Cagliari have climbed out and distanced themselves by two points from the relegation zone. Staying in the dropzone is not something any team want at this stage of the competition but Claudio Ranieri’s men have their hopes of survival right in their hands. The Isolani’s last win came almost a month ago and since the 4-2 victory over Salernitana, they have lost to Monza and drawn with Verona. Cagliari have responded when it mattered the most for them since the start of the new year and they will hope to earn atleast a point tomorrow.
Cagliari (4-2-3-1): Scuffet; Zappa, Mina, Dossena, Augello; Sulemana, Makoumbou; Nandez, Gaetano, Luvumbo; Lapadula.
Atalanta (3-4-2-1): Carnesecchi; Hien, Djimsiti, Kolasinac; Zappacosta, De Roon, Ederson, Ruggeri; Scamacca, Koopmeiners; Lookman.
Trambak Bhattacherjee | GIFN
