Serie A

Atalanta visit Monza looking to avoid a relegation battle

Monza are aiming for all three points against Atalanta with a view to dragging their opponents into the relegation fight.

Monza and Atalanta meet at the Brianteo in a crucial match for both sides. The hosts have lost their last three games against Torino, Napoli and Bologna, sliding dangerously down the table and into the relegation zone. Atalanta, meanwhile, sit just four points above their opponents and have not won since 12 October. Maurizio Sarri's side, beaten by Parma at the New Balance Arena last week, need a victory to get back on track and avoid being dragged further into the relegation battle.

HEAD TO HEAD

There have been 17 previous Lombardy derbies between the two sides in Monza: 4 wins for Monza (most recently 1-0 in Serie B 1999/00), 7 draws (most recently 1-1 in Serie B 1983/84) and 6 wins for Atalanta (most recently 4-0 in Serie A 2024/25).

Monza have lost 3 consecutive matches: more broadly, they have suffered 4 defeats in their last 5 Matchdays. Their only positive result in that period came on 19 October (Monza-Cagliari 4-0).

DID YOU KNOW?

This match at the Brianteo brings together one of the 2 teams to have been awarded the most penalties (Monza, 3, level with Lazio) and one of the 4 teams to have conceded the most (Atalanta, 3, level with Frosinone, Venezia and Sassuolo).

Monza have conceded more goals than any other team in the opening 15 minutes (5, level with Inter).

Only Frosinone (83.4) contest more duels per match than Monza (74) in Serie A; however, the Brianzoli have the lowest duel success rate in the competition (43.5%).

Atalanta have 11 points after 10 Matchdays: 2 fewer than at the same stage last season under Jurić (13). They had not collected so few since 2014/15, when they had 9.

COACHES and PLAYERS

This will be the 13th official meeting between Ivan Jurić and Maurizio Sarri: in the previous 12, the current Atalanta coach leads with 5 wins to 2, with 5 draws completing the record.

Ivan Jurić faces one of his former clubs: he coached Atalanta from July to November 2025, recording 4 wins, 8 draws and 3 defeats in 15 competitive matches.

Gustavo Varela scored against Bologna: he now has 11 goals across Serie A and Coppa Italia, making him the joint-highest scorer in Italian professional football in 2026/27 alongside Donyell Malen of Roma. With his 9th Serie A goal, Varela also became Monza’s highest scorer in a single top-flight season, surpassing Andrea Colpani’s previous record of 8 in 2023/24.

Gustavo Varela and Nikola Krstović were Serie A’s joint-top scorers in October: the two forwards, who face each other at the Brianteo, both scored 5 goals during the month.

DISCIPLINE

Suspended: none

Cautioned: none

REFEREE

ALLEGRETTA (VECCHI – BARONE) IV: SOZZA, VAR: LA PENNA, AVAR ABBRI

UPCOMING MATCHES

Monza-Fiorentina (23/11, 20.45)

Atalanta-Inter (22/11, 20.45)

(Photo Getty Images)