Champions League: Things Are Not Always As They Seem!

Atalanta vs Manchester City

Despite a terrible start to this Champions League campaign – conceding 11 goals during three defeats – Italian underdogs Atalanta can still qualify for the knockout stages.

To give themselves a chance, they must defeat free-scoring English champions Manchester City this week.

Can they do so?

Well, the SBOBET Champions League betting odds suggest otherwise but I am not so sure.

Talking Points

For one, City have a massive match domestically this weekend as they travel to Premier League leaders Liverpool who they trail by six points at the summit of the English game.

Secondly, they have a number of injuries in key areas which — even given the strength of their squad — it means they are unlikely to take too many risks when they have a 100 per cent record so far in Group C.

Thirdly, it is exactly that. Three wins from three and plenty of Champions League highlights has left on the brink of reaching the last 16 so they do not need to concern themselves too much with their trip to Italy.

In contrast, all the pressure is on Atalanta yet, for the reasons outlined above, I feel they can spring a surprise.

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Premier League

Last season’s beaten Coppa Italia finalists – who finished an impressive third in Serie A last term – certainly will not be shy going for it.

They have the best attack in Serie A so far this term with 30 goals from 11 games. They had scored two or more goals in every league match before the weekend and had found the net in 16 successive top flight games — a run that stretched back to mid-April — before a surprise defeat at home to Cagliari.

That was perhaps a match where the bulk of their players had one eye on this encounter – one of their biggest in Europe for years.

They have a pedigree too.

Before losing to Shakhtar Dontesk on Matchday 2, Atalanta were unbeaten in 12 European home matches (won six, drawn six) since a 2-1 defeat against Belgian side Mechelen in the 1988 European Cup Winners’ Cup semi-final second leg (2-4 aggregate).

Those are their only defeats in their 18 home European matches (won 10, drawn six). Five days after shipping five goals at City, Atalanta equalled their biggest ever win in Serie A with a 7-1 victory over Udinese, matching their scoreline against Triestina in June 1952.

As they languish at the bottom of their European group, it is also easy to forget what an amazing story they have produced and are continuing to deliver.

Not only is this their first ever Champions League campaign, but the ascent has been astonishing. They were in Serie B in 2011 and reaching the Europa League last 16 in 2018 was their first UEFA participation since 1990.

Their story is as much down to coach Gian Piero Gasperini’s tactical nous as it is down to their sound recruitment in the market.

Raheem Sterling made a hat-trick in Manchester City's last Champions League against Atalanta — Raheem Sterling in action for Manchester City against Atalanta

Their sporting director Giovanni Sartori has done a job that has gone under the radar, but the Italian is probably one of the best recruitment men in European football, as well as counting on probably the best youth academy in the country.

Moreover, over the years, the club has sold players like Franck Kessie, Bryan Cristante, Alessandro Bastoni, Roberto Gagliardini, Mattia Caldara, Daniele Baselli and Davide Zappacosta to bigger clubs. They’ve replaced them with lesser known players for diminutive fees or brought more talent through the academy and have leapt ahead.

So yes, this on paper should be an away stroll but it won’t be for all kinds of reasons.

So think twice before you place your bets!

History

They have only met once before and that was a fortnight ago.

An 11-minute Raheem Sterling hat-trick – the third fastest in the competition’s history – helped City to a 5-1 win at the City of Manchester Stadium.

Sergio Agüero had netted twice in the first half as the English champions made it ten goals in their first three fixtures.

Ruslan Malinovskyi’s 28th-minute penalty, which briefly gave Atalanta the lead, was the first goal Pep Guardiola’s side had conceded in the competition this term.