Atalanta’s quest for a top-four finish in the Italian Serie A will continue this Friday when they welcome Empoli to Bergamo.
The hosts are fighting to return to continental football next season after an eight-place finish kept them off a place in any of the UEFA competitions.
But it’s been a poor recent run for Atalanta who, following Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Napoli, are now winless in four successive Serie A outings (D1, L3). As a result, La Dea have fallen out of the top four and they now face a huge challenge to try to get back into those positions.
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They finished the last round six points adrift with their tally of 42 points after 26 games their lowest in four years. Their main issue has been a lack of goals, as they’ve managed just one across their last four league matches.
Empoli have shut them out in three of their last four H2Hs at this venue (W1, D2, L1), though it should be noted that Gian Piero Gasperini’s men have netted at least once in all of their nine matches against teams starting this round 14th or below, thus not enthusing them about their arrival.
The hope for Atalanta is that the visitors will visit Gewiss Stadium in pretty rotten form, with no league win in seven outings (D3, L4). Their main issue have been defending set-pieces this season, as there’s only one side that has conceded more Serie A goals from set-pieces (nine) than Empoli.
At the other end of the pitch, there are only three teams who have scored fewer league goals (23) than Empoli. So, improving in both boxes will be crucial if the Blues are to have any chance of beating one of the sides featuring in the top ten ahead of the round for only the third time this season (D4, L8).
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