Atalanta vs Sturm Graz Preview: Team News & Prediction

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Atalanta have endured a difficult month or so as dreams of a historic first ever Serie A title diminish with the Bergamasci now welcoming Austrian champions Sturm Graz this week.
Kick-off date/time: Tuesday 21st January, 2025: UK – 5:45pm / US ET – 12:45pm / US PT – 9:45am
How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / US – Not televised
How to watch online: UK – Discovery+ / US – Paramount+
Atalanta Preview: Frustrated Bergamasci
Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta had been relentless through the autumn but they finished 2024 with some unconvincing performances and have started the calendar year of 2025 with some underwhelming and generally poor results, too.
The Bergamasci most recently suffered a 3-2 defeat at home to fellow title challengers Napoli at the weekend to continue their poor run of form. That loss came on the back of a four-match winless run, including a defeat to Internazionale in the semi-finals of the Supercoppa Italiana.
Sturm Graz Preview: Change in Graz
During the November international break, Sturm Graz lost manager Christian Ilzer to Hoffenheim and during the January transfer window they have sold key striker Mika Biereth to Monaco so things are very different for the Austrian champions at the moment.
Now, under the management of Jurgen Saumel, they remain at the top-of-the-table in the Austrian Bundesliga but haven’t played competitively since a 3-2 defeat at Stade Pierre-Mauroy against Lille in the UEFA Champions League in mid-December.
Atalanta Team News: Cuadrado a doubt
Colombia international wing-back Juan Cuadrado has been out for a while and he is now an injury doubt for this week due a thigh issue. They remain without former Bayer Leverkusen defender Odilon Kossounou as well as Italy international striker Gianluca Scamacca.
Predicted XI (3-4-1-2): Carnesecchi; Djimsiti, Hien, Scalvini; Bellanova, De Roon, Ederson, Ruggeri; De Ketelaere; Retegui, Lookman
Unavailable: Kossounou (Injured), Scamacca (Injured)
Questionable: Cuadrado (Injured)
Sturm Graz Team News: Chukwuani close to suspension
Aleksandar Borkovic is sidelined for Sturm Graz as he continues to rehabilitate from an ACL injury. 21-year-old Denmark U21 international midfielder Tochi Chukwuani is one booking away from being suspended for the final match day.
Predicted XI (4-1-2-1-2): Khudyakov; Johnston, Geyrhofer, Wuthrich, Lavalee; Stankovic; Chukwuani, Yalcouye; Kiteishvili; Yardimci, Boving
Unavailable: Borkovic (Injured)
Questionable:
Key Stats
- The only previous UEFA competition matches between these two teams were in the 2023/24 UEFA Europa League group stage when a 2-2 draw in Austria on Matchday 3 was followed by a 1-0 home win for Atalanta on Matchday 4.
- Atalanta have won only one of their last ten UEFA Champions League matches at home (D5 L4). They are without a win in five (D3 L2), since a 1-0 victory against Young Boys on Matchday 2 of the 2021/22 group stage.
- Despite their defeat against Real Madrid on Matchday 6, Atalanta have lost only three of their last 20 UEFA competition matches (W11 D6). The three defeats were against Real Madrid (twice) and Liverpool.
- The only time Atalanta have lost successive matches in a UEFA competition group/league was in the 2019/20 UEFA Champions League group stage when they lost their opening three games of the campaign.
- Atalanta’s defeat against Real Madrid on Matchday 6 ended an 11-match unbeaten sequence in UEFA competition group/leagues for the Italian team (W7 D4).
- Atalanta are without a win in their last five competitive matches (D3 L2).
- Mateo Retegui is Atalanta’s top scorer with 16 in all competitions this season. He is one of three Atalanta players to reach double figures alongside Ademola Lookman (13) and Charles De Ketelaere (10).
- Sturm Graz have won only one of their previous 14 UEFA competition matches against Italian teams (D6 L7). That was a 1-0 victory at Lazio in the 2002/03 UEFA Cup third round second leg.
- Sturm Graz have lost 12 of their last 13 UEFA Champions League matches, including qualifying (W1).
- Sturm Graz have won only one of their previous 15 matches away from home in the UEFA Champions League proper (D2 L12). That was a 2-1 victory at Panathinaikos in the second group stage in 2000/01.
- Sturm Graz have lost five of their previous six matches in the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League (W1).
- Sturm Graz have not played a competitive fixture since losing at Lille on Matchday 6, although they have played friendlies against Lugano (2-1) and Grasshopper-Club (0-1), Orijent Rijeka (1-1) and Rijeka (0-2) this month.
Atalanta vs Sturm Graz Prediction
Atalanta head into the final two matches of the 2024/25 league phase of the UEFA Champions League sitting just a couple of points outside of the top eight. They suffered their first defeat in the competition last month as they were beaten 3-2 by Real Madrid at the Gewiss Stadium. They now face a Sturm Graz side that have managed to pick up three points from their six matches but they are on the verge of elimination, which should be confirmed by a defeat in Italy this week.
Atalanta vs Sturm Graz Tip: Atalanta to win