After a troubling period of decline, Atalanta BC will seek to start the 2022-23 Serie A season with a win on Saturday, as they visit Sampdoria.
The Bergamaschi arrive at Stadio Luigi Ferraris having slumped to eighth place last term - far below their recent high standards - while their hosts endured an even more difficult campaign and only narrowly avoided relegation.
Match preview
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During the past few years, led by talismanic tactician Gian Piero Gasperini, Atalanta have embarked on an impressive rise from Serie A backwater to regulars in the top four and challengers in Europe - however, last season their progress started to stall.
Once renowned for a free-flowing style and sharing an abundance of goals among a talented and tactically flexible squad, La Dea dried up during the first half of 2022, and eventually ended up slipping down the standings and out of the European qualification places.
As a result, the Europa League quarter-finalists do not have a continental campaign to distract them this year, and a lighter schedule should see them free to concentrate on returning to form domestically - starting with their trip to Liguria this weekend.
With a rebuild in mind, Gasperini has added Nigeria international Ademola Lookman and Brazilian midfielder Ederson to his options this term, though Matteo Pessina has joined the Monza revolution and vice-captain Remo Freuler seems set to depart in the coming days.
Atalanta's hopes of a bright start are certainly boosted by recent precedent, though, as they have won each of their last four opening-day matches; scoring 13 goals in the process.
Not only that, but with a 4-0 win from their last league meeting in February, the Nerazzurri have beaten Sampdoria three times in a row - and they have lost just one of their last seven Serie A games against Saturday's hosts.
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Starting off under the doomed management of ex-Parma boss Roberto D'Aversa and ending with former coach Marco Giampaolo in charge, Sampdoria retained Serie A status last season more due to the failings of others than their own strength in adversity.
In the calendar year, Samp have lost the joint-most games in Serie A - 13 of 19, alongside relegated Venezia - and they have been unable to freshen up a jaded squad sufficiently to quell fears of a re-run under Giampaolo this term.
Ahead of the big kickoff, the Blucerchiati's transfer window has been fairly quiet, with most movement heading through the exit door: while winger Antonio Candreva has yet to agree terms on a switch to probable relegation rivals Salernitana, Danish star Mikkel Damsgaard has joined Brentford and Morten Thorsby moved to Germany.
Sampdoria at least followed a pair of pre-season draws against Besiktas and Parma - sandwiching a win over Serie B side Brescia - with a morale-boosting victory in the first round of the Coppa Italia last weekend, beating Reggina 1-0 thanks to Abdelhamid Sabiri's second-half strike from the spot.
However, the Ligurians have picked up just one point in their last four encounters with Atalanta at Marassi, and losing each of their last four opening-day fixtures in Serie A without scoring a goal is a tradition they will want to end this week.
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Team News
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Following their struggles without him during much of last season, a fully-fit Duvan Zapata should start up front for Atalanta on Saturday evening, and he could be joined by another Sampdoria old boy, compatriot Luis Muriel.
In the last decade, Muriel has scored the most goals in Serie A opening rounds (seven) and he netted 21 times for Samp in 79 Serie A matches earlier in his Calcio career.
Gian Piero Gasperini will have to improvise in midfield, as Remo Freuler - apparently heading for Nottingham Forest in any case - is suspended and Aleksey Miranchuk has joined Torino; Ederson is sidelined by a thigh strain.
In defence, Argentinian centre-back Jose Luis Palomino is banned after failing a drug test and Merih Demiral is only just back from injury, so young prospects Caleb Okoli and Giorgio Scalvini are in contention to feature - the latter won his first senior cap for Italy this summer, aged 18.
Meanwhile, with Antonio Candreva on the verge of heading south to Salerno - and Nordic trio Albin Ekdal, Mikkel Damsgaard and Morten Thorsby also having left - Sampdoria will have a new look in midfield too.
Filip Djuricic has returned to the club he left in 2018, and while he operates in an advanced role, loan signing Gonzalo Villar could be pressed into service in the hosts' engine room.
Leading the line up front, 35-year-old Francesco Caputo posted 11 goals and six assists last term, and his back-up on the bench will again be the evergreen Fabio Quagliarella, who has previously netted 12 times against Atalanta. If the 39-year-old scores on Saturday, it will be the 18th season he has done so in Serie A.
Sampdoria possible starting lineup:
Audero; Bereszynski, Ferrari, Colley, Augello; Vieira, Rincon; Djuricic, Villar, Sabiri; Caputo
Atalanta BC possible starting lineup:
Musso; Toloi, Okoli, De Roon; Hateboer, Koopmeiners, Scalvini, Maehle; Malinovskyi; Muriel, Zapata
We say: Sampdoria 0-1 Atalanta BC
Even if Atalanta are able to reattain the unprecedented heights scaled in seasons past, it will surely take time for them to click.
An apparently kind fixture to kick off the new campaign should help them along the way, and the visitors can deepen Samp's woes with a one-goal win.
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