AC MILAN V ATALANTA: OPPONENT REVIEW | OneFootball

Serie A 2024/25 matchday 33 includes a big match on Easter Sunday between sides fighting for Europe: AC Milan v Atalanta, scheduled for Sunday 20 April at 20:45 CEST at San Siro. After the brilliant 4-0 win against Udinese, the Rossoneri are back in action at home with the objective of taking the three points to keep their European hopes alive. In their way are an Atalanta side who, following their Champions League exit to Club Brugge, have experienced a rocky patch of firm with wins at home against Juventus and Bologna combined with difficult games against Venezia, Inter, Fioretnina and Lazio. Despite their difficult run, Atalanta are still third and remain to be one of the most unpredictable sides in the league. In the first meeting this season, AC Milan lost 2-1 at the Gewiss Stadium, in a high-tempo match which was decided by goals from De Ketelaere and Lookman. Now, after a rocky patch, Atalanta will be looking to find their consistency and ambition. Gasperini has been able to draw on the depth of his squad this season.

THE TRADEMARK STYLE: HIGH INTENSITY AND ROTATIONS Atalanta's style of play has become a trademark under Gasperini: aggression, pressing on the ball and the search for numerical superiority on the flanks. Gasperini continues to switch between a 3-4-1-2 and 3-4-2-1, mixing high pressing with phases of patience. The machine is well oiled, thanks to the continuous rotations between the midfielders and attacking midfielders, allowing the team to recover the ball quickly and attack with lots of players. It's not by chance that the team have recovered the most balls this season (1698) and have the most touches in the opponent's box (949). This season, the Dea have adapted in moments of difficult, with a greater defensive compactness and better energy management. The European matches, which Gasperini often gave priority to, strength the mental strength of the team, making them more mature and less dependent on the occasion. Atalanta are a complete team, able of changing track according to the opponent and moment in the game.

RETEGUI AND DJIMSITI: THE SURPRISES Mateo Retegui is one of the most highly anticipated players, current top scorer in the league with 23 goals, just one away from Filippo Inzaghi's record of 24 goals in a single season for Atalanta. The Italian-Argentinian forward has grown a lot under Gasperini's guidance, becoming the prime attacking option for the team and national team. Cold in the area, lethal in his movements and always at the centre of play, Retegui is now one of the most prolific scorers in the entire league: he scores a goal every 82 minutes. In defence, the trio of Kolašinac (out for the rest of the season due to injury), Hien and Djimsiti have provided solidity and consistency. Berat Djimsiti has returned to form and become a cornerstone in Gasperini's back line, with 27 starts this season. Last season was filled with physical problems for the Albanian Defender, but he has found his condition once again, providing solidity, leadership and a brilliant ability to read the game: 34 interceptions, 135 duels won, and 71 aerial duels won means that he is Atalanta's best defender across all of the key defensive statistics this season.

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