Date: December 16, 2020
Time: 12:30 EST
Just when you think Atalanta get a break after a tortuous Champion’s League campaign, the scheduling gods come back with a big middle finger squaring Atalanta with the giants of the league. While Juventus have looked vulnerable, dropped unnecessary points, and are still trying to find an identity under Pirlo, they have yet to lose in the League, and still remain the biggest threat in Serie A. If Atalanta can get past the Papu drama, you can’t look past them given the threat they posed to Juventus in both matches last year.
This week has certainly been marked by Papu’s (not-so) cryptic Instagram message all but suggesting that he’ll be leaving the club sooner rather than later. All types of reports are corroborating the Instagram post, and Papu’s future with the club is certainly in question. Oddly enough, he’s still been named in the squad rotation for Wednesday, perhaps a cheeky jab by Gasperini, but I’d thoroughly be surprised to see him get game minutes. If he indeed does, perhaps everything was overblown by the media. However, it may be best to start thinking about the squad without Papu, and how we lineup without one of the best playmakers in Serie A.
Fortunately for La Dea, there is not a dearth of attacking options at their disposal. Malinovskyi was fantastic in his return from COVID against Fiorentina, scoring on a free kick, and taking over the trequartista duties. Aleskey Miranchuk is also finally back into the squad after his lengthy fight with COVID, and in my mind should still be Atalanta’s heir to playmaking. Gasperini has still only used him sparingly (a bit similar to Ruslan last year), and if he’s not called on against Juve, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him feature against Roma; as Malinovskyi doesn’t have full match fitness yet and Ilicic is still out.
While Juve haven’t had the best of the luck putting the ball into the back of the net (unless they’re offsides or through penalties), Wednesday seems the perfect opportunity to employ the 3 midfield lineup that worked so effectively against Liverpool and Ajax. I only worry about player stamina, as there really is no one to fill in for Marten, Remo, and Matteo with Super Mario still out. Italian Youth international Emmanuel Gyabuaa got his first taste of Serie A action in the waning minutes of the Fiorentina match, but I highly doubt Gasperini will throw him to the wolves so early in his career – although Gasperini may not have a choice given squad depth and fatigue. Regardless it will be another testament of will, requiring each player to fulfilling his duties to the upmost. Normally they respond to the challenge, so I’m not too worried, and its not like midweek matches is anything new for them at this point in the season. Its just that Juventus are equally as prepared for midweek football with a deeper bench and no Papu drama hanging over their head. Wednesday will be interesting, and while a win would be great to avenge the bogus handball call on Muriel last year that led to a tie, squeaking out of Turin with a point would be immense, and a great testament to the squad after the turbulent few weeks they’ve endured. Wednesday will be fun as it always is trying to knock off Juve, so as always Forza La Dea!
