Atalanta vs Celtic: Champions League Preview, Lineups, and How to Watch

The highly anticipated Champions League match between Atalanta and Celtic is set to take place on Wednesday, October 23, at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo, Italy. The match kicks off at 6:45 PM local time, which translates to 12:45 PM Eastern Time, 11:45 AM Central Time, 10:45 AM Mountain Time, and 9:45 AM Pacific Time in the United States.

Atalanta, fresh from a 2-0 victory over Venezia in Serie A, are in strong form, having secured four points in their Champions League campaign so far. They drew 0-0 with Arsenal and won 3-1 against Shakhtar Donetsk. Mateo Retegui, the leading Serie A goalscorer, is expected to partner Ademola Lookman in attack, while Gian Piero Gasperini‘s side will be without key players Gianluca Scamacca and Giorgio Scalvini due to long-term ACL injuries. Rafael Toloi, Marco Brescianini, and Odilon Kossounou are also doubtful due to injuries.

Celtic, on the other hand, are looking to rebound from a heavy 7-1 defeat to Borussia Dortmund in their last Champions League fixture. Despite a strong domestic performance with 10 wins from 12 matches, Celtic have struggled in European away games, losing eight of their last nine. They will be without left-back Greg Taylor due to a hamstring injury and centre-back Cameron Carter-Vickers, who is recovering from a toe injury. Daizen Maeda, who has scored in both of Celtic’s Champions League games this season, is expected to start alongside Kyogo Furuhashi and Nicolas Kuhn.

The predicted lineups for Atalanta include a 3-4-2-1 formation with Carnesecchi in goal, a back three of Hien, Djimsiti, and Kolasinac, and a midfield featuring Ederson, De Roon, and Pasalic. For Celtic, a 4-3-3 formation is anticipated with Schmeichel in goal and a defense that includes Trusty, Scales, and Valle. The attack is likely to feature Maeda, Furuhashi, and Kuhn.

The match will be broadcast live in the UK on TNT Sports 4 and can be streamed via Discovery+. In the United States, the game will be available on Paramount+, with a 7-day free trial currently on offer.

Predictions lean towards Atalanta’s home advantage and their current form, with many expecting a 3-1 victory for the Italian side. Celtic’s defensive vulnerabilities are likely to be exploited by Atalanta’s dynamic attack.