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Atalanta get their second-ever Champions League season rolling this Wednesday against debutants Midtjylland at the MCH Arena.
Gian Piero Gasperini's side were one of the best success stories of last season, marching all the way to the quarter-finals of the competition against all the odds.
They'll be hoping to go one better this time and can make a huge statement on the first day with a victory over the Wolves, whose European affair kicks off to a baptism of fire.
Midtjylland vs Atalanta Head-To-Head
Even though Atalanta and Midtjylland have participated in other European competitions before, they have never come up against each other. This will be the first-ever competitive meeting between the sides.
Midtjylland Form Guide (all competitions): D-W-W-D-W
Atalanta Form Guide (all competitions): W-W-W-L
Midtjylland vs Atalanta Team News
The hosts will continue to be without centre-back Kristian Dirks Riis and right-back Oliver Olsen, both of whom are long term injuries. There are no suspensions for the clash, and manager Brian Priske has the rest of the squad at his disposal.
Injured: Kristian Dirks Riis and Oliver Olsen
Suspended: None
Unavailable: None
Gli Orobici will miss out on some fringe players like the goalkeeping pair of Pierluigi Gollini and Marco Carnesecchi, alongside striker Marco Tumminello. Mattia Caldara, who's on loan from Milan, is yet to feature in the 2020-21 season due to a knee injury and isn't expected to return until December.
Injured: Pierluigi Gollini, Marco Carnesecchi, Marco Tumminello, and Mattia Caldara.
Suspended: None
Unavailable: None
Midtjylland vs Atalanta Predicted XI
Midtjylland (4-3-3): Jesper Hansen; Joel Andersson, Erik Sviatchenko, Alexander Scholz, Paulinho; Jens-Lys Cajuste, Frank Onyeka, Evander; Awer Mabil, Sory Kaba, Pione Sisto.
Atalanta (3-4-2-1): Marco Sportiello; Berat Djimsiti, Jose Luis Palomino, Rafael Toloi; Hans Hateboer, Remo Freuler, Mario Pasalic, Robin Gosens; Josip Illicic, Alejandro Gomez; Duvan Zapata.
Midtjylland vs Atalanta Prediction
Midtjylland have some good attacking options such as Anders Dreyers, who got off to the new season in fine form, and Pione Sisto, whom you may remember from his Celta Vigo days, but those options may still not be enough to stop the free-scoring Atalanta.
The gulf in quality between the sides is just too much, and even though the Serie A outfit were thumped 4-1 by Napoli at the weekend, Gasperini's men should canter to an easy win here barring another implosion.
Prediction: Midtjylland 1-3 Atalanta
