Sunday's early kickoff sees one of Serie A's form sides Atalanta BC host mid-table Lecce, as the home side seek points to aid their top-four push.
Four wins from six have seen the Bergamaschi maintain their pursuit of a return to Europe, while the visitors' draw with Roma last week kept them seven points clear of the relegation zone.
Match preview
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Separated by just one point and one place in the Serie A standings, Atalanta and Lazio locked horns last Saturday evening at Stadio Olimpico, and despite giving up plenty of possession, La Dea struck twice to earn a crucial victory in the capital.
Davide Zappacosta's well-struck finish was followed by the fifth goal of Rasmus Hojlund's impressive debut campaign, and Atalanta leapfrogged their hosts in the table to occupy third place after 22 rounds.
Only Napoli have picked up more points than Gian Piero Gasperini's men in 2023, and they have also scored the most league goals since the turn of the year - 19 in seven matches, at an average of 2.7 per game.
Their re-birth as an attacking force since Hojlund joined forces with top scorer Ademola Lookman has been spectacular, and as they now return to Bergamo, the Nerazzurri are seeking three straight Serie A wins at the Gewiss Stadium for the first time since 2021.
Absent from European competition this year due to a stuttering second half of last season, Atalanta's main aim for the coming months is to book a return to the Champions League, and having had the luxury of a week off while other contenders were in continental action, they should be fully refreshed for Lecce's visit to Lombardy.
La Dea have lost only one of 12 previous home games against their southern counterparts in Serie A - and none since March 1994 - so precedent is certainly on their side as well as recent form.
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After winning November's reverse fixture 2-1 at Stadio Via del Mare, Lecce could now win both league matches against Atalanta for just the second time in Serie A.
The Giallorossi's start to February suggests that could well be within their compass, as a victory from their last away game - 2-0 against Cremonese - means they have picked up as many points on the road as at home this season.
Having subsequently ground out a 1-1 draw with Roma, they sit safely in mid-table, and last year's Serie B champions have conceded a respectable 25 league goals since promotion - their best such record at this stage of a top-flight campaign.
Inside the top half of Serie A's defensive rankings too, Marco Baroni's men can certainly make life difficult for opposing teams, though they do only average a goal per game at the other end.
One of Lecce's sternest tests since the winter break surely awaits on Sunday, but having held both Milan and Roma in the past few weeks, even in-form Atalanta may struggle to see off the Salentini.
Team News
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Threatening to disrupt his side's mid-season momentum, Gian Piero Gasperini will be without several starters this weekend due to injury and suspension.
Hans Hateboer limped off in tears against Lazio and has now been ruled out for the rest of the season with an ACL tear, while Giorgio Scalvini and Marten De Roon are both sidelined by one-match bans for accumulated bookings.
As Mario Pasalic is also a doubt due to an ankle injury, Ederson could therefore join Teun Koopmeiners in central midfield. Up front, the established Lookman-Hojlund partnership should be supported by Jeremie Boga; alternative option Duvan Zapata is absent with a thigh problem.
Meanwhile, Lecce lost Spanish midfielder Joan Gonzalez to suspension this week, while Kristoffer Askildsen and Youssef Maleh are both unlikely to start after recovering from injuries, so Thorir Johann Helgason may be offered a rare opportunity in the middle of the park.
Marin Pongracic (ankle) and Kastriot Dermaku (thigh) remain ruled out for the visitors, who generally employ a 4-3-3 system featuring Lorenzo Colombo, top scorer Gabriel Strefezza and Federico Di Francesco in attack.
Atalanta are the latter's favourite opponent in Serie A, as he has scored four times against them in the past, with four different teams: Bologna, SPAL, Empoli, and then for Lecce in this season's reverse fixture.
Atalanta BC possible starting lineup:
Musso; Toloi, Palomino, Djimsiti; Zappacosta, Ederson, Koopmeiners, Maehle; Boga; Lookman, Hojlund
Lecce possible starting lineup:
Falcone; Gendrey, Baschirotto, Umtiti, Gallo; Helgason, Hjulmand, Blin; Strefezza, Colombo, Di Francesco
We say: Atalanta BC 2-1 Lecce
While Lecce have found a way to pick up points on the road, and are a well-organised and settled side, Atalanta's recent prowess in the final third means that - even accounting for absences - they are the likeliest winners on Sunday.
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Top tip
Jonathan O'Shea
