Serie A: Juve Host Bogey Opponent in Turin

Juventus vs Atalanta

I said earlier this month that you cannot get over the departure of a top manager very quickly – in fact, it can often be a more difficult hurdle to overcome than losing a star player. When one such figure left one Serie A club (Atalanta) for another (Roma) this summer, the loss in Lombardy was palpable. For undoubtedly, Atalanta’s success in recent times has been masterminded by Gian Piero Gasperini.

The club from Bergamo had spent most of its existence yo-yoing between Serie A and B, with their ambitions rarely stretching beyond mid-table comfort. Yet after Gasperini took over in the summer of 2016, they qualified for the Champions League, reached the Coppa Italia Final, challenged for the Scudetto, and last year won their first European trophy in the shape of the Europa League.

Now he has moved on, Serie A 2025 highlights may be that bit trickier to come by, which is why SBOTOP makes hosts Juventus clear favourites for their encounter this Saturday teatime.

 

Talking Points

Let me put this into perspective, though. Atalanta have made a decent start to the new campaign with new boss Ivan Juric guiding his side to eight points from their first four league games to sit in fifth place in the maiden table.

Juve, also with a new boss at the helm in Igor Tudor, sit in second on 10 points as they embark on chasing a first Italian title since 2019-20, a season in which I can recall them beating Atalanta.

So which Juve can we expect this weekend?

Last time out, they were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw by Hellas Verona as Tudor’s side were ultimately left frustrated by his former club in what was a rather more prosaic contest than their previous two matches.

That followed a spectacular 4-3 win over Inter Milan in the Derby d’Italia and an incredible eight-goal Champions League draw with Borussia Dortmund.

For the home side this weekend, summer recruit Jonathan David must vie with Lois Openda and Dusan Vlahovic for one place up front. The latter has excelled as a substitute this season, recording five goal involvements from three cameo appearances, but Canadian frontman David is more often favoured from the start.

With Ademola Lookman seeking fitness after finally ending his stand-off with Atalanta’s senior management, La Dea’s chief threat could come from Nikola Krstovic.

Though Lookman’s return is a boost, Juric has a long injury list to deal with as Ederson, Giorgio Scalvini, Sead Kolasinac, Nikola Zalewski, Isak Hien and Gianluca Scamacca are all sidelined.

Atalanta have had a fairly good start to the season in Serie A, but this provides their first major domestic test, and I expect Juve to be too strong.

 

History

Atalanta inflicted one of the lowest moments on Juventus in their recent history in this fixture last season. That was as they triumphed 4-0 in Turin as Mateo Retegui (penalty), Marten de Roon, Davide Zappacosta, and Lookman silenced the majority inside the Allianz Stadium.

The earlier game had ended 1-1 when Retegui cancelled out Pierre Kalulu’s opener.

It was actually eight games and eight years ago since Juve managed to beat Atalanta on home soil – that was in March 2018 when a goal in each half from Gonzalo Higuaín and Blaise Matuidi secured a 2-0 win for a Juve team on course for a title success.

Five of the last seven meetings have ended all square.

Overall, in all competitions, Juventus have triumphed in 75 of their meetings, with 51 draws and 18 Atalanta successes. 

 

Betting Tip

The Serie A 2025 betting odds expect Juve to end their miserable run in this fixture. I do too, and I have to decide whether to opt for a home win 1X2 @ 1.92 or Asian Handicap -0.75 @ 2.17.

Atalanta are priced 1X2 @ 3.73 and Asian Handicap +0.25 @ 2.35 – although other options are available.

If you think it could be level-pegging yet again, a 1X2 Draw will pay out @ 3.21, while should lightning strike twice, a re-run of that staggering 0-4 scoreline will earn you a pay day with Correct Score of a staggering @ 250.00.

It’s not going to happen, quite frankly, but I do think there will be a few goals, so I have considered Total Goals 0-1 @ 2.90, 2-3 @ 1.97, and 4-6 @ 3.59 as well as Over 2.75 @ 2.33.

   

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