Serie A: Late Bid for Champions League Berth Starts Here

Napoli vs Atalanta

Easter weekend in Serie A and this game begins the programme of fixtures in Italy during the holy period.

It’s a lunchtime start for seventh versus sixth which means very little time for players on either side to recuperate after the international break.

Effectively, a head-to-head for European ambitions, the desire of both sides for the points could well lead to Serie A 2024 highlights.

Put it this way, both Napoli and Atalanta still harbour hopes of qualifying for the Champions League next season, but both of them won’t make it so three points in this one is imperative.

Talking Points

Both clubs can be quietly pleased with their last outings before the brief hiatus.

Napoli bounced back from their European exit to Barcelona by drawing 1-1 at the side soon to take their crown as champions of Italy. A late Juan Jesus header against his former club earned them a point at the San Siro against Inter Milan.

Meanwhile, Atalanta progressed to the quarter-finals of the Europa League where Liverpool await with a 3-2 aggregate victory over Sporting Lisbon.

Under the impressive management of Gian Piero Gasperini, La Dea have only lost twice since the turn of the year and also have their eyes on the Coppa Italia prize, (they face Fiorentina in the semi-finals in April) as well as a top four finish in the league.

For the hosts, the name of Jesus is set to feature again with the club reportedly considering wearing a special pre-match shirt and possibly handing the defender the captain’s armband as a sign of respect and support.

That is after the decision to acquit Inter player Francesco Acerbi in an alleged racism case.

Team news wise, both have injury concerns.

Serie A player Khvicha Kvaratskhelia helped Georgia to qualify for the Euro 2024 — Greece’s Manolis Siopis and Georgia’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia vie for the ball during their Euro 2024 qualifying play-off clash

Kvicha Kvaratskhelia’s Georgia have qualified for Euro 2024, their first major tournament after beating Greece in a penalty shoot-out but the Napoli star went off injured.

Likewise, star striker Victor Osimhen is also a doubt after missing international duty with Nigeria due to the inflammation of a previous thigh scar.

Atalanta have problems of their own with big question marks against the availability of Charles De Ketelaere and Teun Koopmeiners.

De Ketelaere was returned to Bergamo early from international duty by Belgium after he sustained a muscular problem.

As for Koopmeiners, the Dutch international was a late substitute in a 4-0 friendly win over Scotland last Friday but sustained a knock and was left out of the squad for the midweek game in Germany so will need to be evaluated.

With key men potentially absent from both teams, this could be a chance for one or two fringe players to shine.

There won’t be an easing-in period, though.

Both teams need to win to remain on the heels of Bologna and Roma and a draw could really damage their hopes of a top four finish, although fifth place could yet be enough to secure Champions League football next term.

History

This will be the 122^nd meeting between the sides. Napoli have had the edge over the years with 48 victories to Atalanta’s 29 successes and almost as many draws (28).

The reigning champions also have won their last four in a row against Gian Piero Gasperini’s side.

Last season, they enjoyed a league double, winning the corresponding fixture 2-0, courtesy of second half goals from Kvaratskhelia and man of the match Amir Rrahmani.

They had also won on Atalanta soil earlier in the campaign when Osimhen and Elif Elmas were on target to seal 2-1 win after an Ademola Lookman penalty had put the home side ahead.

That was the scoreline they repeated in November this season with Kvaratskhelia and Elmas grabbing the goals after Lookman had equalised.

It’s not always been one-way traffic, though.

Before those four straight wins Atalanta had defeated Napoli three times on the bounce, including in the semi-finals of the 2021 Coppa Italia when Duvan Zapata and Matteo Pessina (two) were the marksman with Hirving Lozano netting the reply.

There was heartbreak for Atalanta in the final as they were edged out by Juventus.

The first league meeting between the clubs came in 1978/79 when Napoli recorded a 2-0 home win.