Atalanta Seek First Win as Lecce Visit Bergamo
Atalanta’s season in Serie A has not exactly kicked off the way fans had hoped. Two games in, and the Bergamo side are still waiting for their first victory. On Sunday afternoon, they will welcome Lecce to the Gewiss Stadium, and while it might not sound like the most glamorous fixture, the stakes are high. Pressure is already building for new coach Ivan Jurić, who stepped into the role after the legendary Gian Piero Gasperini’s long reign came to an end.
The start has been frustrating. Against Pisa in the opening match, Atalanta were held to a goalless draw. Then, just before the international break, they looked to be heading for three points at Parma when Mario Pašalić finally broke the deadlock. But that joy lasted barely six minutes before Patrick Cutrone struck back, leaving Atalanta with yet another single point. Two games, two draws, and no wins—it’s not the confident beginning Jurić would have wanted, especially with a Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain looming next week.
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For Lecce, the situation isn’t much brighter. They also come into this one without a league win, having collected just one point so far. A 0-0 draw with Genoa gave them something to build on, but a 2-0 defeat to AC Milan exposed the same weaknesses that haunted them last season: a lack of firepower up front and vulnerability at the back. They’ve not managed to score a single goal yet in Serie A this campaign. Coach Eusebio Di Francesco knows the pressure of skepticism all too well, after enduring back-to-back relegations with his previous clubs. For him, this game is another chance to prove he can steady Lecce in the top flight.
The history books show that Lecce are not always easy guests in Bergamo. Surprisingly, they’ve lost just twice in their last seven league visits, though they rarely manage more than a point. Still, Atalanta’s bigger concern is their own form. With Gianluca Scamacca sidelined through injury and Ademola Lookman only just returning from international duty with Nigeria, questions linger about who will step up in attack. Nikola Krstović, once of Lecce himself, may get the nod to face his former club, while Pašalić has already been central to Atalanta’s attacking moves this season.
On Lecce’s side, fitness worries also hang over their preparations. Several midfielders are battling knocks, and new Serbian forward Nikola Stulić is expected to shoulder responsibility in the absence of last season’s main scorer, who now plays elsewhere.
All signs suggest this will be a tight contest. But on paper, Atalanta should have the upper hand. With their superior quality in midfield and a strong home crowd behind them, this match is being viewed as the ideal chance for Jurić to register his first win in Serie A with Atalanta. If that doesn’t happen, however, the pressure in Bergamo could ramp up very quickly.
Prediction? Many believe Atalanta will finally get the job done. A 2-0 win has been tipped, which would give them momentum heading into that huge midweek clash with PSG.
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