AC MILAN v ATALANTA: OPPONENT REVIEW

AC Milan v Atalanta, meeting 126. This Sunday's Serie A fixture has become somewhat of a classic in the Italian league: the Devil, third with 52 points, host the Dea with the aim of extending the gap from them in the table. Gasperini's side are fourth, seven points behind, but with a game in hand. Having beaten Stade Rennais, booking their place in the Europa League round of 16, the Rossoneri are coming off the back of the 4-2 defeat at Monza last time out in the league. 

Home factor seems to be crucial for AC Milan, who have won six of their last seven home games played in Serie A (one draw). However, the Rossoneri have lost five games in eight against teams in the Top 4 at the start of the matchday (W2, D1) with one of the in-form teams coming to San Siro. Atalanta have won five on the trot and with determination will be looking for their sixth in a row, which they have not achieved since December 2021. Furthermore, including the draw against Roma on 7 January, the Dea remain unbeaten in their first six matches of 2024 in Serie A, their best streak since 2003 when they reached ten games in the new calendar year without defeat.

BOTH TEAMS DEADLY FROM CORNERS AND PROLIFIC FROM OFF THE BENCH
Organised at the back, very attack-minded from the midfield onwards. Since the start of the matchday 20, the Nerazzurri have been travelling at a frightening pace: during this period, in fact, no team has won more points (15), scored the same number of goals (17) and conceded fewer goals (two) in Serie A. Preparing for the contest with the Dea is made even more difficult by the numerous resources they have to score goals, similar - in many ways - to those of the Rossoneri. The first concerns the ability to take advantage of corners: Atalanta have scored six goals from corners in the league this season, with only AC Milan having done better so far (seven, one of which in the away game). The second is shooting accuracy: 140 shots on target for the Nerazzurri, at least nine more than any other team.

Significant numbers for the two teams are also found in relation to winning the ball back in attacking positions, in particular goals scored following such ball recoveries: six like Juventus and behind only Inter (seven). The subs bench is also very influential in front of goal for the two sides who'll face each other on Sunday at San Siro: Atalanta (ten) and AC Milan (twelve) are in fact the only two in this campaign to have scored at least ten goals from substitutes. Finally, attention must be paid to the prolific nature of this Bergamo side in the closing stages of games, who could find fertile ground against the Rossoneri. On one side, Atalanta have scored the most number of times in second-half stoppage time in this season's Serie A (six in total); on the other, only Genoa (seven) have conceded more goals than AC Milan (five) after the 90th minute.

MIDIFIELDING GOALSCORERS AND A FORMER PLAYER IN FORM
15 different scorers, five if you consider only midfielders in Serie A 2023/24. In addition to having the third best attack overall in the current campaign (47 goals, behind AC Milan with 49 and Inter with 59), Atalanta stand out for the attacking contribution provided by their midfield: 24 goals. Out of Europe's top-five leagues, only Real Madrid (26) and Manchester City (25) have more. Focusing more specifically on the Nerazzurri, the first player the AC Milan defence cannot lose sight of is the game's recognisable former player: Charles De Ketelaere. The Belgian has fit perfectly into Gasperini's system and seems to have released the shackles in recent months: since the beginning of December, only Giroud (ten) and Vlahović (ten) have been involved in more goals than the 2001-born player (five goals and four assists). The former Rossoneri player is also, along with Pulisic, one of two midfielders to have scored more than five goals and provided more than five assists in this season's Serie A (six & six for the Belgian).

Belgium to Holland isn't very far to end up in Teun Koopmeiners territory, another vital piece in Gasperini's side, who embodies the perfect mix of hard work, skill and vision of the game. He already has nine goals in all competitions, with seven coming away from home. In the two meetings between AC Milan and Atalanta this season, the Dutchman has been involved in three goals (two goals, one assist), with a decisive brace in the Coppa Italia tie on 10 January. The last player to deserve a mention in view of the San Siro clash is another former player: Mario Pašalić. The Croatian, who played for the Rossoneri in 2016/17, has been involved in three goals against AC Milan in the top-flight (two goals and one assist) and seems to have found his place in Bergamo. Furthermore, Pašalić is just one goal short from the milestone of netting 50 times for the Nerazzurri in all competitions (currently on 49 in 230 appearances).

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