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2023/24 Italian Serie A
Matchday 19
Roma v Atalanta
Stadio Arechi
Salerno, Italy
Sunday, 7 January 2024
Kick-off is at 21h45
Six plays seven in
Serie A when Atalanta make the long journey south to face Roma at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday, January 7 in the late kick-off.
La Dea ended 2023 on a high after they beat Lecce 1-0 on December 30 to leapfrog Napoli (8th) and the Giallorossi (7th) into sixth position following a third win in four games.
Gian Piero Gasperini's side closed within two points of Bologna (5th) and find themselves just four outside the UEFA Champions League places.
Alamy Stock Photo
The Eternal City outfit were inconsistent in December and closed out the year with a 1-0 defeat to Juventus, making it two wins, one draw and two losses during the festive period.
They are ahead of the Partenopei on goal difference, having both scored more and conceded less, while Lazio are breathing down their necks in ninth spot after claiming a 3-1 win over Frosinone.
Atalanta did the league double over Jose Mourinho's side last season, with the roles being reversed in 2021-22 when Roma won both home and away.
In team news, the hosts are at near full strength, with English duo Chris Smalling (hamstring) and Tammy Abraham (ACL) the only two absentees. Gasperini is definitely without Hans Hateboer (muscular) and Jose Luis Palomino (thigh), although captain Rafael Toloi (muscular) could recover in time for the trip to Rome.
Mourinho guided the Giallorossi to the Europa League title last term, but he's dreaming bigger and wants to take the club back to the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 2018-19.
"If we manage it (to finish in the top four), it will be something incredible, for the condition we're in and the restrictions we have," he said.
"But as I've said before, if you don't dream, you never get anywhere. We're dreaming and working hard to achieve it."
Gasperini could also be without Ademola Lookman for up to five league matches after the winger linked up with the Nigeria squad on New Year's Day for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
The Italian is hopeful that Lookman won't be gone for the duration of the tournament in Ivory Coast, but has backed his players to help fill the void.
"Unfortunately Lookman will fly out tomorrow, but we have [Luis] Muriel, [Gianluca] Scamacca, [Charles] De Ketelaere, [Aleksey] Miranchuk and [El Bilal] Toure. It will be an opportunity for them," he said.
"I don't want to act like I'm wishing Nigeria don't do well, but naturally we hope Lookman isn't away for too long. Above all, we hope he doesn't get injured."
Head-to-Head (Last Five Serie A Meetings)
Matches - 5
Roma - 2
Atalanta - 2
Draws - 1
Serie A Matchday 19 fixtures:
Friday, January 5
21h45: Bologna v Genoa
Saturday, January 6
13h30: Inter Milan v Verona
16h00: Frosinone v Monza
19h00: Lecce v Cagliari
21h45: Sassuolo v Fiorentina
Sunday, January 7
13h30: Empoli v AC Milan
16h00: Torino v Napoli
16h00: Udinese v Lazio
19h00: Salernitana v Juventus
21h45: Roma v Atalanta
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