Champions League III: Atalanta BC

Champions League III
Atalanta BC
~~~~~~~~~~ Official TC Match Preview ~~~~~~~~~~


Kyogo Furuhashi scored and had an assist in the 2-2 draw with Aberdeen at the weekend


Stadio di Bergamo, Bergamo
Wednesday, 23 October 2024
17.45 BST

Celtic will be at the foot of the Alps in northern Italy tomorrow evening, as they return to Champions League action against reigning Europa League holders, Atalanta.

After what was such a strong start to the season, the Hoops form has been a little scratchy lately, following the loss to Borussia Dortmund. Since then they've scraped a late 2-1 win over Ross County, before being held to a 2-2 draw at home by Aberdeen at the weekend just past.

Hopefully this will be a far more resolute performance in store tomorrow and that Brendan Rodgers will have learned a few things from that chastizing events in Germany, earlier this month.

This will be a serious test for the Bhoys against a team currently sitting in joint 5th place in Serie A and will need to be at their best for the full 90 minutes at both ends of the park if they are to come away with something to show for their efforts.

This is especially the case with the defence, as Celtic have managed to keep just a single clean sheet in the past 6 games, and will have to contend with keeping the dangerous Mateo Retegui quiet, considering the form that the Italian marksman is in.


Dangerman: Mateo Retegui has 8 goals & 2 assists in the first 8 games in Serie A this season​

Who are Atalanta BC?

Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio are one of the rising powers within Italian football. For much of their history they have yo-yo'd primarily between the top two flights, enduring 13 relegations in addition to 14 promotions, and until last season their only notable piece of silverware was the 1963 Coppa Italia.

Shortly after their most recent promotion to Serie A in 2011, the club overcame a match-fixing scandal as they established themselves in the top flight, but it wasn't until the appointment of Gian Piero Gaspernini in 2016 that things really started to take shape to becoming the force that they currently are.

In 2022, a consortium led by Stephen Pagliuca - co-owner of the Boston Celtics basketball team in the US - took a controlling interest, which has helped to maintain their status, in addition to attracting top talent and pushing on to make some serious headway in European competition, culminating in last season's Europa League triumph.

Atalanta have never previously encountered Scottish opposition, but they come into this game on the back of a 0-0 draw with Arsenal, followed by a 3-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk in the first two rounds of Champions League play.

Gaspernini's side appear to be hitting their stride now, having overcome a few early season wobbles, and come into this game after 3 straight victories (having scored 10 and conceded just once in those 3 games), including a 2-0 success over Venezia in Serie A on Sunday.


James Forrest scored in Celtic's only win on Italian soil - the 2-1 win v Lazio in 2019

~~~~ Celts in Italy ~~~~

Even though this is the first meeting between these sides in any UEFA Competition, the Celts have often come up against Italian opposition. Indeed, the most celebrated night in the club's European history came with victory over Inter Milan in 1967.

While Celtic have had a much more balanced track record at home, travelling away has been more problematic, with the Hoops only victory on Italian soil coming against Lazio in November 2019.

By the Numbers​

• Celtic have lost just once in the past 24 games across all competitions since March.

• The Hoops are seeking their first 'Away' Champions League win since 2018.

• The Bhoys have conceded 10 goals in the past 3 games - coincidently, Atalanta have scored that same number in their last 3 games.

• Atalanta striker Mateo Retegui has scored 8 goals in 8 games in Serie A so far this season.

Alex Valle is expected to make his first Champions League start on Wednesday

Team News

The Celts' main absentees are Greg Taylor (calf) and Cameron Carter-Vickers (foot). And while the latter has resumed training, it remains to be seen if he will be considered ready ahead of this game.

As for the hosts, they are without a number of players through injury, including defenders Rafael Tolol, Odilon Kossounou and midfielder Marco Brescianini alongside longterm absentees Georgio Scalvini and Gianluca Scammacca.

The Italian side tend to favour a 3-4-2-1 or a 3-4-1-2 formation and it will be interesting to see if Rodgers tailors his typical 4-3-3 to counter the hosts numerical advantage in midfield.​

Referee: Irfan Pelito (BIH)

The 40 y.o. Bosnian made his Champions League debut in November 2021, including once previously involving Celtic. The Bhoys had a horror show on that occasion, with 2 red cards as well as conceding a penalty as they lost to Feyenoord, 2-0, at the outset of last season's Group Stage.

Celtic's Overall Record
M:1 W:0 D:1 L:0

VAR: Soren Storks (GER)


~~~~ Against Italian Opposition ~~~~

Overall
P:31 W:7 D:8 L:16

~~~~ 2024/25 Form ~~~~

All Comps
D W L W W ~ W W W D L​