Atalanta Aims to Rebound Against Struggling Empoli in Serie A Clash

EMPOLI, Italy — Atalanta BC seeks to shake off their recent Champions League elimination as they face Empoli FC on Sunday at 17:00 GMT at Stadio Carlo Castellani. The match comes on the heels of a disappointing exit for Atalanta from the Champions League playoffs, where they fell to Club Brugge with a 5-2 aggregate score.

Ademola Lookman, who was involved in a recent penalty controversy, returns to the starting lineup for Atalanta, marking his first appearance since sustaining an injury in late January. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini confirmed Lookman was not originally meant to take the penalty that was saved during the crucial playoff match.

“We’ve cleared the air, and Ademola is ready to help us get back on track,” Gasperini stated in a press conference.

Despite their Champions League setback, Atalanta aims to maintain their competitive stance in Serie A. Currently, they sit 10th in the league and have recorded a goalless draw against Cagliari in their last match. Isak Hien, Daniel Maldini, Odilon Kossounou, Giorgio Scalvini, and Gianluca Scamacca remain sidelined due to injury.

Empoli, meanwhile, finds itself in a dire situation, having collected only two points from their last eight matches and slipping into the relegation zone. Coach Paolo Zanetti is grappling with a long injury list and the suspension of Luca Marianucci. The squad features Christian Kouame making his first start alongside Sebastiano Esposito.

“We need to find our rhythm again, especially against a team like Atalanta,” Zanetti said. “Our focus is on securing points to move out of the danger zone.”

The last encounter saw Atalanta defeat Empoli 3-2, and they have historically dominated the matchup, winning five of the last six games at Stadio Castellani. Still, Empoli’s struggles this season extend beyond their recent form; they have conceded the most goals in the league, recording 17 in just the current calendar year.

In Serie A’s current landscape, Atalanta has the potential to reclaim momentum, especially with Mateo Retegui aiming for the Capocannoniere crown. He leads the attack alongside Charles De Ketelaere and Lookman, who have been significant in previous outings.

Empoli’s possible starting lineup includes Vasquez; De Sciglio, Goglichidze, Pezzella; Gyasi, Grassi, Henderson, Cacace; Maleh, Esposito; Kouame, while Atalanta might field Carnesecchi; Posch, Djimsiti, Kolasinac; Bellanova, De Roon, Ederson, Zappacosta; De Ketelaere, Lookman; Retegui.

As both teams prepare for this crucial clash, fans are eager to see whether Atalanta can indeed overcome their European heartache, while Empoli searches for a much-needed turnaround to avoid dropping further into the relegation scrap.