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Serie A action resumes after the international break as Spezia host Atalanta at the Estadio Dino Manuzzi in Cesena on Saturday.
Atalanta are only four points off league leaders Milan in sixth place, while newly-promoted Spezia are in 13th place.
Spezia went into the international break in good spirits, bouncing back from their 4-1 defeat at home to Juventus with a 3-0 win away against Benevento.
French striker M'Bala Nzola opened his Serie A account with a brace in the second half after Tommaso Pobega had given the visitors the lead 29 minutes into the game, ensuring a comfortable victory.
Atalanta restored some dignity to their wounded pride after their 5-0 mauling at the hands of Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League with a creditable 1-1 draw against Inter Milan prior to the international break.
Lautaro Martinez put the visitors ahead on the hour mark, before substitute Aleksey Miranchuk scored 20 minutes into his Serie A debut to grab a deserved equalizer for Atalanta.
Spezia vs Atalanta Head-to-Head
This is Spezia's first season in the top-flight and also their first competitive game against Atalanta. Even in Atalanta's seasons in Serie B, Spezia were always a division lower or more.
The two last played in a friendly in 2014, with Atalanta winning 2-0 in Bergamo.
Spezia form guide: D-D-W-L-W
Atalanta form guide: L-D-W-L-D
Spezia vs Atalanta Team News
Spezia
The international break was good for Spezia, with manager Vincenzo Italiano welcoming back Giuseppe Mastinu, Gennaro Acampora, Federico Mattiello and Giulio Maggiore into group training.
Jacopo Sala and Paolo Bartolomei trained separately from the squad and are doubts for this game. Martin Erlic has recovered from the coronavirus, with the rest of the squad also testing negative.
Injuries: Elio Capradossi, Jeroen Zoet, Andrej Galabinov, Juan Ramos, Daniele Verde, Diego Farias, Leo Sena
Doubtful: Jacopo Sala, Paolo Bartolomei
Suspensions: None
Atalanta
Gian Piero Gasparini saw the international break claiming Ruslan Malinovski as a victim, although the Ukranian is missing due to testing positive for the coronavirus.
Robin Gosens, Martin de Roon and Jose Luis Palomino are back fit, although Mattia Caldara and Matteo Ruggeri are still out with injuries.
Injuries: Mattia Caldara, Matteo Ruggeri
COVID-19: Ruslan Malinovski
Doubtful: None
Suspensions: None
Spezia vs Atalanta Predicted Lineups
Spezia Predicted XI (4-3-3): Ivan Provedel (GK); Salvador Ferrer, Claudio Terzi, Julian Chabot, Simone Bastoni; Gennaro Acampora, Matteo Ricci, Tommaso Pobega; Kevin Agudelo, M'Bala Nzola, Emmanuel Gyasi
Atalanta Predicted XI (3-4-1-2): Marco Sportiello (GK); Jose Luis Palomino, Cristian Romero, Rafael Toloi; Hans Hateboer, Mario Pasalic, Martin de Roon, Robin Gosens; Alejandro Gomez; Duvan Zapata, Luis Muriel
Spezia vs Atalanta Prediction
Spezia have yet to win a single game at 'home' this season, although they have faced the likes of Sassuolo, Juventus and Fiorentina in their home-away-from-home in Cesena. Atalanta, meanwhile, are undefeated in 27 of their last 29 away games in Serie A.
The visitor's incredible firepower going forward should see this game play out as a comfortable win for Atalanta, with Spezia unlikely to offer much opposition.
Prediction: Spezia 1-3 Atalanta
