Atalanta fans are increasingly concerned as injury reports from Zingonia reveal a growing list of sidelined players since the beginning of 2025. The latest setback is Posch’s injury, diagnosed as a lesion in the muscle-tendon junction of his left biceps femoris. This is particularly unfortunate as Posch was recently acquired from Bologna to compensate for the absences of injured defenders Scalvini and Kossounou.
Adding to the woes, Scamacca remains unavailable, Maldini is struggling with fitness after recovering from back pain, and key players Djimsiti and Lookman are at risk of suspension due to accumulated yellow cards. Coach Gasperini faces a challenging task in deciding which players to field against Juventus and which to reserve for the subsequent match against Inter. These two direct encounters are crucial in Atalanta’s pursuit of the Scudetto.
The timely recovery of Hien offers some relief in defense, allowing De Roon to remain in midfield. Veteran Toloi might be available to contribute in the second half if needed. The expected defensive line-up features Carnesecchi in goal, with Djimsiti, Hien, and Kolasinac forming the back three. This setup is likely to be maintained against Inter as well, unless Djimsiti receives a yellow card against Juventus. In such a scenario, Gasperini might have to reposition De Roon in defense, similar to their previous match against Inter on August 30th.
In midfield, an emergency could lead to Mario Pasalic dropping back alongside Ederson. This tactical adjustment might necessitate deploying a more attack-oriented trident upfront when facing Inter. On the flanks, Gasperini is expected to rotate players, potentially using Bellanova and Zappacosta against Juventus, and switching to Cuadrado and Ruggeri for the Inter game.
A significant concern for Gasperini would be if Lookman were to receive a yellow card and face suspension after the Juventus match. This would prevent him from fielding the attacking trio of De Ketelaere, Retegui, and Lookman against Inter. Without the Nigerian forward, Gasperini might revert to the formation used in the reverse fixture, employing two attacking midfielders, Samardzic and Brescianini, behind Retegui. In both crucial matches, Maldini is expected to be a valuable option off the bench, offering tactical flexibility as the games progress.