21 January 2023
Visitors to the Allianz Stadium for Matchday 19 of Serie A are Atalanta, one of the three teams that have obtained most points since the turn of the year, seven, like Inter and Roma.
Having hit a purple patch in front of goal, the Dea have scored at least five goals more than any other team in 2023. On top of their 12 goals in Serie A, Gian Piero Gasparini's side added five more in their midweek defeat of Spezia in Coppa Italia.
THE SEASON SO FAR
Atalanta were one of the pace setters in the early months of the season. The team from Bergamo remained unbeaten until a Matchday 11 loss at home to Lazio. That setback triggered a series of four defeats in the five games leading up to the break for the World Cup. A negative run that led to a slide down the table.
In fact, Atalanta lost to direct rivals Napoli and Inter as well as Lazio and are the team that has collected the fewest points from head-to-heads between teams currently in the top seven positions in the table, with just four.
The negative spell almost continued as domestic action resumed. Gasperini's team found themselves two goals down to Spezia at half time on Matchday 15. However, the Nerazzurri pulled a goal back on 77' through Danish teenage sensation Rasmus Højlund. Mario Pašalić scored a 93rd minute equaliser.
Since then the Dea have won 2-1 at Bologna and a club record 8-2 success over Salernitana at the Gewiss Stadium last weekend.
Atalanta now sit in equal on 34 points with the two Roman clubs.
PLAYERS TO KEEP AN EYE ON
The three youngest players with more than 10 appearances in this Serie A are Giorgio Scalvini and Rasmus Højlund from Atalanta and Juve's own Fabio Miretti. Both the Dea's teenagers scored in the thrashing of Salernitana - in fact, Højlund has found the net in all four matches in cup and league in 2023. Also on form is Jeremy Boga, with three assists and two goals in the last two league outings.
Ademola Lookman with nine goals this season is the team's top scorer and since the beginning of last October only Napoli's Victor Osimhen has scored more goals than his Nigerian international teammate in Serie A. Three of Lookman's last four goals have come from penalties.
Luis Muriel is just one goal away from reaching 100 goals in Serie A – and the Colombian could overtake former Bianconero Alessandro Matri to become the highest scoring substitute since Serie A adopted three points for a win. Currently both are on 25. However, of the 20 teams he has faced at least five times in Serie A, Juve are the only opponents Muriel has never scored against.
On the other hand, fellow Colombian Duván Zapata has scored six goals against Juventus in Serie A, making the Bianconeri his second favourite victims in the Italian top flight.
