Atalanta vs Arsenal
Arsenal will be tested as the month of September draws to a close because they will play four games in the next 11 days, including an away trip to the Gewiss Stadium, where they’ll visit Atalanta to open their 2024-25 Champions League campaign.
Mikel Arteta and co. have yet to lose a game this season, and they’re keen on keeping it that way for as long as possible.
Atalanta, on the other hand, will look to make the most of their return to the Champions League after winning the Europa League last season.
But unlike Arsenal, La Dea have already lost three games to start their 2024-25 campaign. Following their recent 3-2 victory against Fiorentina, Atalanta will look to build a new winning streak.
Which team do you think will draw the first blood? Continue reading below for the SBOTOP preview.
Talking Points
Retegui feeling at home at Atalanta
Mateo Retegui was brought in by Atalanta last month as a replacement for the injured Gianluca Scamacca, who is out for a long time after he tore his ACL.
And so far, the €22 million Atalanta paid for the former Genoa standout is proving to be a huge bargain, as Retegui now has four goals to lead the squad.
The 25-year-old opened his account for Atalanta with a brace in their 4-0 demolition of Lecce in the opening matchday in Serie A. He also found the back of the net against Torino and Fiorentina.
Retegui is not the only man to watch out for if you’re Arsenal, as Ademola Lookman has returned for Atalanta after nursing a shoulder injury.
Lookman, who singlehandedly defeated Bayer Leverkusen with a hat-trick in last season’s Europa League final, was back on the scoresheet in their victory against Fiorentina.
A frontline of Ademola Lookman, Mateo Retegui, and Charles De Ketelaere can give anyone in this year’s Champions League problems in the final third, that’s for sure.
In other team news, La Dea welcomed Berat Djimsiti, Sead Kolasinac, and Nicolo Zaniolo back on Sunday, while Rafael Toloi, Giorgio Scalvini, and Ben Godfrey are still on the sidelines alongside Scamacca.
Grueling stretch ahead for Arsenal
Arsenal could see their momentum vanish in an instant because of the brutal schedule that awaits them. After this game against Atalanta, the Gunners will take on Manchester City, Bolton, Leicester City, and PSG.
And Mikel Arteta has a valid reason to be worried because he has several injuries to deal with.
Bukayo Saka was forced off in the closing stages of their 1-0 victory against Tottenham, while captain Martin Odegaard is sidelined for a few weeks due to a nasty ankle sprain he sustained during Norway’s UEFA Nations League match against Austria.
Riccardo Calafiori was not in the lineup against Tottenham due to a calf injury, while fellow summer signing Mikel Merino has yet to feature due to a fractured shoulder.
Jorginho and Gabriel Jesus should continue to deputise for Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka, while Raheem Sterling is another candidate to start.
History
Thursday marks the first-ever meeting between Atalanta and Arsenal across all competitions.
As mentioned, Atalanta are back in the Champions League after finishing within the Serie A Top 5 and winning the Europa League last season, beating the previously undefeated Bayer Leverkusen.
The last time La Dea were in the Champions League was in 2021-22, where they were eventually relegated to the Europa League after finishing third in Group F behind Manchester United and Villarreal.
Atalanta’s best finish in the Champions League was making it to the quarter-finals in 2019-20, where they eventually lost 2-1 to PSG.
As for Arsenal, they were able to reach their first Champions League quarter-final since 2010 last season before losing to Bayern Munich. The Gunners’ best finish in this competition was when they were runners-up in 2006, losing 2-1 to Barcelona in the final.
Betting Tip
The Champions League 2024 odds predict a relatively close game on Thursday night. Arsenal were given the edge at 1.93, while Atalanta aren’t far behind at 3.52, and a draw is at 3.35 in the 1X2 market.
Football fans can expect their fair share of Champions League 2024 highlights from this contest, hence our recommended bet above. While you’re at it, you may want to also check out Over 2.50 at 1.76 or Over 2.75 at 1.89.
However, if you feel like this is going to be a low-scoring game, then check out bets like Total Goals 0-1 at 3.53, Under 3.00 at 1.65, Under 2.75 at 1.90, or even Correct Score of 0-0 at 13.00.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT))
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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