Atalanta vs Arsenal predictions: Gunners can down La Dea
- Atalanta have lost three times this season
- Arsenal have conceded just one goal in 2024-25
- Recommended bet: Tie/Arsenal
Arsenal started a huge eight days with a win at Tottenham and ahead of Sunday's trip to Manchester City, head to Bergamo to face Atalanta in the Champions League on Thursday.
Gabriel Magalhaes' 64th minute header made the difference in Sunday's north London derby, while La Dea were also in winning form, beating Fiorentina 3-2.
However, last season's Europa League heroes lost the Super Cup 2-0 to Real Madrid and, while they opened their Serie A campaign with a 4-0 victory at Lecce, they subsequently lost 2-1 at Torino and then 4-0 at Inter Milan.
Gian Piero Gasperini has had to oversee another summer of comings and goings at the Gewiss Stadium and, with injuries also impacting his options, the Gunners look to have a real chance of making a winning start to their European campaign.
Team news
Atalanta are without Gianluca Scamacca (knee) and Giorgio Scalvini (knee), who are long-term absentees, while Rafael Toloi (muscular) and Ben Godfrey (illness) missed the win over Fiorentina.
However, former Gunner Sead Kolasinac is back from a thigh issue. Berat Djimsiti also started against La Viola and Nicolo Zaniolo was on the bench.
Arsenal can recall Declan Rice following his Premier League suspension, but Bukayo Saka is a doubt after limping off at Spurs and Mikel Arteta may not risk him with an eye on the game against City.
Defenders Riccardo Calafiori (calf), Kieran Tierney (thigh), Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) and Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf) are out, as are midfielders Martin Odegaard (ankle) and Mikel Merino (shoulder).
The stats
Atalanta have won two games this season, but lost their other three in their five outings in all competitions.
New signing Mateo Retegui has scored four goals in four Serie A appearances for La Dea.
Arsenal are unbeaten this season, winning three times and drawing once. They have only conceded one goal and that came after being reduced to 10 men in that sole draw against Brighton.
Arteta's men have been drawing at half-time before winning the second half in both of their away wins this season (2-0 at Aston Villa and 1-0 at Tottenham).
This will be the first time the pair have met, but Atalanta have a decent record against English clubs, winning four and drawing two of their 10 games.
They beat Liverpool in the quarter-finals of last season's Europa League.
Meanwhile, Arsenal's last games against Italian opposition also came in the last eight of the Europa League, when they beat Napoli home and away in 2018-19.
Prediction
It will surely be a raucous atmosphere on Thursday, with this the first Champions League game to be held at the now completely renovated Gewiss Stadium.
The boisterous crowd in Bergamo will create a red-hot atmosphere for Arsenal, but Arteta's side should be able to rise to the challenge.
Retegui's presence gives Atalanta a real aerial presence, but the Gunners' defence again showed its robustness in the win over Tottenham and they can keep Gasperini's side at bay.
Expect them to try to control the early exchanges and the 43/20 about a 0-0 half-time scoreline may appeal and, if it lands, it would then be no surprise to see the visitors kick on in the second half.
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