Atalanta vs. Genoa – News and Probable Lineups

After going four matches without a victory, Atalanta BC will look to regain their form as they face Genoa in Bergamo on Saturday.

Recent performances have almost dashed La Dea’s aspirations for a top-six finish in Serie A, while the Grifone seem to have achieved their primary goal and are nearly out of the relegation zone.

Match overview

Following a heart-wrenching defeat in a penalty shootout that saw them miss out on the Coppa Italia final, Atalanta had little time to regroup before their trip to Cagliari on Monday night, where their opponents were still battling for survival in the top tier.

After their disappointing cup elimination at the hands of Lazio, Raffaele Palladino’s team struggled in Sardinia, where the home side took a two-goal lead within just 10 minutes.

Although Gianluca Scamacca scored twice to level the score before halftime, the Bergamaschi ultimately lost 3-2, despite controlling possession and continuously challenging Cagliari goalkeeper Elia Caprile.

This means Atalanta has only secured one point from their last three league games, jeopardizing their hopes of returning to the Europa League, which they famously won only two years ago.

Currently sitting seven points off Italy’s top six, La Dea must rely on Roma or Como faltering to have any chance, alongside needing to win all of their remaining four matches.

In this scenario, Palladino will be eager to maintain his strong record against his favored opponents: across his past roles with Monza and Fiorentina, he has won all five Serie A encounters against Genoa.

Moreover, Atalanta’s previous home loss to the Grifone dates back a decade, with them winning five of the following eight encounters in Bergamo by a cumulative score of 17-5.

While historical trends are not in their favor, Genoa has bounced back from a poor start to the 2025-26 season: since the second half of the season began, Atalanta ranks fifth in Serie A while the Grifone occupies the ninth spot.

Like Palladino – who took charge of a team sitting in 13th place in November – head coach Daniele De Rossi has made a significant impact since his appointment.

The squad previously facing relegation fears has undergone a transformation, distancing itself from the relegation zone with four victories in six matches before last week’s game against Como.

Despite falling 2-0 to the Champions League contenders, Genoa has established an 11-point buffer above Serie A’s bottom three and is nearly safe with just four rounds remaining.

Looking to build on their recent success in Pisa, the Ligurian club now seeks to clinch consecutive away victories in the top flight for the first time since 2024.

However, having only secured one win from their last 18 league encounters against Atalanta – including a 1-0 loss at home in December – history does not seem to favor them.

Team News

Despite Lorenzo Bernasconi suffering a season-ending knee injury, Atalanta is expected to field a nearly full-strength squad on Saturday evening.

Key players Nicola Zalewski and Ederson were rested in the match against Cagliari but are among those pushing for a return to the starting XI.

Once again, Scamacca must compete with joint-top scorer Nikola Krstovic for a place in attack; after reaching double figures in this Serie A season, the Italia striker will be eager to face his former club.

The same goes for Ruslan Malinoxyi, who previously featured in 115 league matches and netted 23 goals for La Dea; 15 of which were scored from outside the box, while the Ukrainian forward has gone on to score six mid-range goals for Genoa.

Jeff Ekhator and Vitinha spearheaded the Grifone’s attack last weekend, although Lorenzo Colombo is vying for a starting position and Caleb Ekuban has returned to full training.

Brooke Norton-Cuffy is also back after his injury, although De Rossi has indicated that the English winger is not yet ready to feature from the start.

Only Roma loanee Tommaso Baldanzi will be unavailable, as goalkeeper Justin Bijlow made a swift recovery from the injury that forced him off against Como.

Atalanta BC probable starting XI:

Carnesecchi; Scalvini, Djimsiti, Kolasinac; Zappacosta, De Roon, Ederson, Zalewski; De Ketelaere, Raspadori; Scamacca

Genoa probable starting XI:

Bijlow; Marcandalli, Ostigard, Vasquez; Sabelli, Frendrup, Malinoxyi, Amorim, Ellertsson; Ekhator, Colombo

With their survival almost assured, Genoa might start to ease up, while Atalanta still has something to prove.

Finishing in seventh place could yet lead to Conference League qualification – depending on whether Inter de Milão takes home the Coppa Italia – meaning the hosts will be highly motivated to secure yet another victory against their favored rivals.