Atalanta and Milan looking to get back to winning

Matchday 9 of Serie A continues at the New Balance Arena with Atalanta taking on AC Milan. La Dea, still the only unbeaten team in the league, need to step things up and, after four consecutive draws, are chasing a first win since 21 September. AC Milan also come into the game after a stalemate, having been held by Pisa at San Siro, and are determined to get back to winning ways as they push to quickly reclaim top spot in the table.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

The two sides have locked horns 73 times in official competition at Bergamo, with Milan holding the edge in the historical record. The Rossoneri have triumphed on 30 occasions (most recently a 3-2 victory in the 2021/22 Serie A season), while La Dea have claimed 18 wins (including a 2-1 success last campaign). Twenty-five encounters have ended all square, with the last stalemate coming in a 1-1 draw during the 2022/23 season. The last 12 meetings in Bergamo have been anything but cagey affairs. Each side has failed to score on just one occasion: Atalanta were shut out in a 2-0 defeat on 23 May 2021, while Milan suffered a humbling 5-0 thrashing on 22 December 2019. In the remaining 10 fixtures, the Nerazzurri have netted 21 times, with the Rossoneri responding with 19 goals of their own.

DID YOU KNOW?

As a player, Ivan Juric made his Serie A debut against the very opponents he now faces from the dugout—featuring for the full 90 minutes in Genoa's 3-0 defeat to Milan in August 2006.

COACHES and PLAYERS

This weekend marks the 11th official meeting between Ivan Juric and Massimiliano Allegri from the touchline. The Milan boss enjoys a commanding record with six victories to the Atalanta tactician's solitary triumph, alongside three draws. Juric's lone success over Allegri came in November 2016, when his Genoa side stunned Juventus 3-1 at the Marassi. Giovanni Simeone struck twice and Alex Sandro turned into his own net for the Grifone, with Miralem Pjanić's free-kick providing scant consolation for the Bianconeri. Ademola Lookman has made the Gewiss Stadium his personal hunting ground against Milan, finding the net three times at home to the Rossoneri: a brace in the 2023/24 Serie A campaign and another strike last season, also in the league.

DISCIPLINE

Suspended: none Cautioned: none

REFEREE

DOVERI (VECCHI – MORO) IV: MANGANIELLO, VAR: CHIFFI, AVAR: DIONISI

UPCOMING MATCHES IN SERIE A

Udinese-Atalanta (Saturday 1 November, 15.00 CET) Milan-Roma (Sunday 2 November, 20.45 CET) (Photo Getty Images)