Juventus vs Atalanta preview, H2H, team news, line-ups, and prediction

Juventus will aim for their sixth win in six games in the Serie A when they welcome Atalanta to the Allianz Stadium on Sunday.

The 36-time Italian champions went into the season filled with optimism following the appointment of Thiago Motta.

The Brazilian-born Italian midfielder performed heroics during his spell with Bologna, securing a historic Champions League qualification for Bologna for the first time since 1964.

In a cultural shift from the compact defensive style of play initiated by former coach Massimiliano Allegri, Motta was expected to bring a free-flowing, high-scoring, fluid attacking style to Turin.

However, the main point of focus and primary objective was not just the style of play but to bring back the club’s lost glory and potentially reclaim their first Serie A title since the 2019-20 season under Maurizio Sarri.

An opening-day 3-0 win over Como and a further run of six games without conceding a goal was a good start. However, it appears the Bianconeri were rather chasing not the Serie A title but an unwanted record of breaking Mantova’s 22 draws in Serie A in the 1966-67 season after their 1-1 draw against Atalanta in January. This means they have now drawn 13 games in their opening 20 games in Serie A.

It was their third draw in four games, following a 1-1 draw with Torino and a 2-2 draw with Fiorentina.

On a positive note, the Bianconeri have remained unbeaten for about five months since the league opener in August, but a 2-1 loss to title-chasing Napoli at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in January saw Juventus lose their first game of the season.

That loss seemed to have sparked a resurgence as they embarked on an incredible five-game winning streak in Serie A. Barring a disappointing penalty shootout loss to an injury-plagued Empoli side, the Bianconeri have been flawless in the league since February, winning every game.

They defeated Empoli, Como, Cagliari, Verona, and Inter Milan, the top-of-the-table side, an indication that perhaps Motta’s side have found their winning formula. They will hope to extend that run when they welcome third-placed Atalanta to the Allianz Stadium on Sunday.

Days after their disappointing exit from the UEFA Champions League at the hands of Club Brugge, Atalanta travelled to Stadio Castellani to face Empoli, looking to strengthen their hold on a top-four spot and possibly stay in the title race.

Making a strong comeback, the Bergamo-based club put aside a recent coach-player spat to deliver a commanding 5-0 victory over the struggling Empoli.

Despite their very public dispute, boss Gian Piero Gasperini selected Ademola Lookman. Lookman responded with a brace, taking his tally to 12 Serie A goals this season—just one shy of his best-ever return in a single league campaign.

However, a disappointing 0-0 draw against relegation-threatened Venezia, who sit in 19th place, meant La Dea missed the chance to usurp Napoli in second place.

Mathematically, Gasperini’s side are not entirely out of the title race. They currently sit in third place, three points adrift of Inter in first place and two points behind Napoli in second.

Atalanta have also kept a clean sheet in all their last four league matches, matching their previous record held in 1997.

They missed the chance to narrow the gap even further after Inter drew with Napoli, but they were made to rue their chances against I Lagunari.

While their home form has been disappointing as they’ve failed to score in any of their last three or win any of their previous five games at the Gewiss Stadium, they have not lost any of their previous 11 away games and have scored ten goals in their last three.

They’ll now hope to be at their scoring best and extend their unbeaten away streak when they travel to Turin to face an in-form Juventus side.

Juventus vs Atalanta match details

• Date: Sunday, 9th March, 2025
• Location: Turin, Italy
• Venue: Allianz Stadium
• Kick-off time: 07:45 PM GMT
• Tickets: Fans can purchase Juventus tickets from the club exchange or via trusted resellers online.

Match stats and head-to-head

• Atalanta have not lost any of their last 11 away games while scoring ten goals in their previous three, one more than Juventus have scored since February (10).

• Juventus have won all four of their Serie A home matches played at the start of a calendar year for the first time since 2021, when they won seven in a row.

• The Bianconeri have also claimed victory in their last five Serie A matches, the longest current winning streak in the league.

• Atalanta have kept a clean sheet in their last four league games, matching their previous record set in 1997.

• Juventus have recorded 14 clean sheets in Serie A this season, more than any other team in Europe’s top five leagues, with Atletico Madrid following closely behind on 13.

• Atalanta’s attacking pair Mateo Retegui and Ademola Lookman have scored 33 goals in Serie A this season.

• La Dea have not lost an away game since their 4-0 defeat to league leaders Inter Milan in August.

• Following his goal against Verona, Khephren Thuram has set a personal best for goal contributions in a single season with seven (three goals, four assists), surpassing his previous best of six in 2021/22 and 2022/23 with Nice.

• Teun Koopmeiners scored his second league goal of the season against Verona, his first since December 7th against Bologna. Since his debut season in Serie A (2021/22), the Dutch midfielder has scored the most goals among central midfielders in the league, with 28.

• Juventus have conceded only 21 goals in Serie A this season, the fewest of any team in the league.

• With 21 goals and four assists this season, Atalanta’s forward Retegui is one of just four players in Europe’s top five leagues with 25 or more goal contributions this campaign.

Team news

Juventus continue to be burdened by a depleted defence, with young full-back Nicolo Savona and Chelsea loanee Renato Veiga recently joining the growing list of sidelined players.

Already without Bremer and Juan Cabal—both ruled out for the rest of the season—and Pierre Kalulu, Thiago Motta is expected to pair Federico Gatti and Lloyd Kelly at the heart of his defensive line.

Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz, who had just returned from a previous injury, is now sidelined again due to a flexor issue.

On a worrying note, Football Italia, citing Italian journalist Romeo Agresti, reports that Juventus defender Gatti—who is expected to pair with Kelly in defence—trained separately from the team ahead of the crucial encounter against Atalanta on Sunday.

The decision is believed to be rather precautionary, as the 26-year-old has made 26 consecutive starts for the team this season.

The report added that Portuguese defender Veiga has also returned to the grass as he trained apart from the rest of the squad in the morning session.

It remains uncertain whether Dusan Vlahovic and Randal Kolo Muani will be retained in the starting lineup or if one will be dropped to the bench. Vlahovic has been particularly prolific against Verona, scoring six Serie A goals, including a brace at Stadio Bentegodi last August.

Alongside long-term absentees Gianluca Scamacca, Odilon Kossounou, and Giorgio Scalvini, Atalanta will be without the injured Isak Hien again this week due to a troublesome adductor injury.

On a positive note, Daniel Maldini is expected to return, and despite suffering an ankle injury in the Empoli match, Berat Djimsiti has participated in full training sessions.

In attack, Charles De Ketelaere and Ademola Lookman—who have been involved in 11 home goals in Serie A this season—are likely to provide support to the league’s top scorer, Mateo Retegui.

Predicted starting lineup

Juventus predicted starting lineup:

Di Gregorio; Weah, Gatti, Kelly, Cambiaso; Thuram, Locatelli; Gonzalez, McKennie, Yildiz; Kolo Muani

Atalanta predicted starting lineup:

Carnesecchi; Posch, Djimsiti, Kolasinac; Bellanova, De Roon, Ederson, Zappacosta; De Ketelaere, Lookman; Retegui

Prediction

Juventus will head into this game in incredible form, having won all their last five games in Serie A. Playing at home should also give them an additional advantage. Victory for them would close the gap on Atalanta, potentially spearheading an unlikely title push or, at most, securing a Champions League spot.

Atalanta seem to be at their best when playing away from home, having gone on an 11-match unbeaten streak away from home in the league.

The results of this game would prove consequential for either team’s top four chances, and neither can afford to lose, making it a tense and thrilling match to watch.

We’re predicting a 2-1 win for Juventus.