RB Leipzig vs Atalanta kicks off the latter’s relatively short preseason slate, and we have the latest team news and even a prediction of our own, as we provide a comprehensive preview for Saturday’s friendly.
RB Leipzig vs Atalanta Match Details
- Venue: Red Bull Arena, Leipzig
- Kick-off: 18:00 EST
- Preseason Record: RB Leipzig — P2, W2 | Atalanta — N/A
Leipzig vs Atalanta Preview
Atalanta begin the post-Gian Piero Gasperini era with a trip to Germany, where Ivan Juric begins his tenure as manager.
His appointment has been met with mixed opinions, particularly with his recent track record at Southampton and Roma painting a less than favorable picture of the Croatian.
Nevertheless, the former disciple of Gasperini has an undeniable connection to the club’s former manager, whose nine years in Bergamot underlined the most successful period in their history.
Atalanta are, according to offshore sportsbooks, still expected to in the hunt for the Scudetto next season.
Atalanta likely head to Germany without former Leipzig winger Ademola Lookman, after Atalanta’s CEO confirmed he wants to leave the club amid heavy interest from Inter Milan.
Serie A top scorer Mateo Retegui has also departed in favor of the riches of Saudi Arabia, so it will be a new-look Atalanta in every sense.
The money generated from those sales has been funnelled back into almost $100 million worth of new arrivals — not least making Odilon Kossounou’s loan move from Bayer Leverkusen permanent, as well as bringing in Southampton’s Kamaldeen Sulemana.
They will be keen to impress in their first outing for La Dea, who head into Saturday’s fixture not having played a preseason match. Their opponents RB Leipzig already have two matches under their belt, as fellow new manager Ole Werner gets accustomed to his players.
The Germans have so far impressed, racking up 10 goals in two games whilst shutting out Toulouse and ZFC Meuselwitz.
RB Leipzig Team News
Despite plenty of talk over their futures, both Xavi Simons and Benjamin Sesko featured in Leipzig’s victory against Toulouse last weekend.
New signings Johan Bakayoko, Ezechiel Banzuzi and Yan Diomande all got on the scoresheet, whilst Lois Openda — who is the subject of heavy interest from Aston Villa — bagged a brace.
Leipzig Predicted Line-Up: Gulacsi; Finkgräfe, Bitshiabu, Orban, Baku; Vermeeren, Xavi, Schlager – Bakayoko, Openda, Sesko.
Atalanta Team News
It is unclear whether Ademola Lookman will play any part in Atalanta’s preseason, particularly after Inter Milan tabled a second bid for the Nigerian. However, Lookman did pick up a calf injury last month, so he may also be ruled out through injury.
That could open up the door for new arrival Kamaldeen Sulemana to make his debut, while as many as five players could register their first appearance for Atalanta on Saturday.
Send Kolasinac and Mitchel Bakker are the only known casualties heading into the weekend.
Atalanta Predicted Line-Up: Carnesecchi; Kossounou, Scalvini, de Roon; Zappacosta, Ederson, Samardzic, Ahanor; Sulemana, De Ketelaere, Maldini.
Prediction
Atalanta may find themselves dusting off the cobwebs and settling into a new system in this preseason opener, while RB Leipzig showed ruthless efficiency in attack last time out and may be more up to speed than their opponents.
It will be interesting to see how Ivan Juric sets up his 11, and whether he will keep his predecessor’s system of three in defense. It could be that this fixture is used to experiment, so expect a settling-in period as Atalanta take to the field with a new manager, for the first time in a decade.
Prediction: RB Leipzig 3 – 1 Atalanta
