Serie A: Do Roma and Atalanta Have Scudetto Credentials?

AS Roma vs Atalanta

The Serie A has thrown up some of the best title races in recent years and this season it appears to be wide open once again. And in the Sunday showstopper between AS Roma and Atalanta,we have two clubs doing their best to break the dominance of Milan and Turin.

Both teams sit just outside the top four in terms of SBOTOP odds for a Scudetto win, but it is a tight bunch. AC Milan are the early favourites at a price of 3.00 with Napoli fourth at 6.00. Roma come next at odds of 8.00 and Atalanta a little further out at 17.00.

A win for either at the Stadio Olimpico would be a huge result as Roma, currently in fifth place on 13 points, can leapfrog joint leaders Atalanta with a victory. But that is easier said than done against a team which has won four and draw two of its opening six games.

Roma come into the game on the back of a 3-0 win over HJK Helsinki in the Europa League on Thursday while a rested Atalanta have had a week to prepare since their 1-1 draw at home to Cremonese.

Now the heat is on, and both Roma and Atalanta have the chance to show they have what it takes to mount a Scudetto challenge.  

Talking Points

Contrasting styles of two top coaches

Roma coach Jose Mourinho and Atalanta boss Gian Piero Gasperini are two of the most experienced leaders in Serie A, but their career paths have taken contrasting courses and their styles are very different.

Mourinho is noted as one of the finest tactical brains in the game and his adaptability to manage the outcome of matches is second to none. But his teams are built on a strong foundation of defencive organisation and often with a three-man midfield which enable him to dictate the play.  

He’s had a glittering career which includes two Scudetto wins with Inter Milan and Mourinho is putting together yet another competitive club in Roma. 

While Gian Piero Gasperini has enjoyed a modest coaching career compared to Mourinho’s glittering history, in some ways he has just as many admirers in the game, particularly those who like to see fast-flowing attacking football.

Mourinho has built a career on tactical nous and defencive organisation, while Gasperini has stuck to his principles. As Coppa Italia runner-up in 2019 and 2021 and a regular participant in the Champions League, La Dea has won many fans across Europe for its goal hungry players and top quality entertainment.

Gasperini actually had a short stint as Inter Milan boss but has been at Atalanta since 2016. And while some of his most attacking players of the past are nearing the twilight of their years, his distinctive attacking mindset has been taken on by a new set of swashbucklers.   

Dybala is settled in Rome

Paulo Dybala’s move to Roma was one of the most protracted transfer sagas in the Serie A 2022 news but the 28-year-old Argentine striker seems happy again after a difficult end to his career at Juventus.

He’s scored three goals already, including one in Roma’s recent encounter with Empoli, which was a chance to rectify back-to-back defeats to Udinese in the league and Ludogorets in the Europa League.

I Giallorossi took the opportunity with goals from Dybala and a second from Tammy Abraham and they followed that up with a victory over Helsinki as Dybala hit the net again.

Mourinho has plenty of choice in attack with former Chelsea star Tammy Abraham scoring two goals and Nicolo Zaniolo and Andrea Belotti both pushing for places.  

And with Chris Smalling and Roger Ibanez at the back, the Roma boss has the solid defencive foundation he so loves.

Atalanta’s young guns happy on the road

With three wins from three away from home, and keeping clean sheets in them all, Atalanta will relish a trip to Rome and they will come out on attack at every opportunity.

Much of La Dea’s success in recent years has been down to the lethal partnership of Colombian duo of Duvan Zapata and Luis Muriel, but they are both 31 years of age and Zapata is sidelined, so a new generation of sharpshooters is stepping up for Atalanta.  

24-year-old Dutch star Teun Koopmeiners has four goals and alongside Ademola Lookman, who has one goal and one assist, he represents a threat with plenty of skill and a turn of pace.

Muriel may well start against Roma while attacking midfielder Ruslan Malinovskyi is also pushing for a place.    

History

I Giallorossi have had the better of the head-to-heads with 24 wins to Atalanta’s 14 in all competitions over the past three decades.

Roma did the double in this fixture last term with a 1-0 win at the Stadio Olimpico and a stunning 4-1 victory in Bergamo.

But in terms of recent form, Atalanta, with four wins and two draws from the last six, are looking more consistent than Roma who have picked up three wins, one draw, and two defeats.     

Betting Tip

Last week, we covered La Liga’s challenger clash between Real Betis and Villarreal and that turned out to be a tight affair with Betis winning with the only goal of the game.

This is the Serie A version of that match and the pre-match Serie A 2022 betting odds are backing a home win at odds of 2.16 while La Dea is available at a price of 3.16 and the draw is at 3.40.    

I think t will be equally tight but if anyone has the edge, I’d give it to Atalanta who are strong on the road and have had four more days to rest and prepare.

 

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