As Serie A resumes after the holiday break, all eyes turn to the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo for a thrilling clash between Atalanta BC and AS Roma on January 3, 2026. This Matchday 18 encounter pits two ambitious sides against each other, with Atalanta aiming to solidify their top-four push and Roma looking to climb the table under new management. Kick-off is set for 7:45 PM GMT, promising high-stakes action in Italy\u2019s premier league. In this comprehensive preview, we\u2019ll cover recent form, head-to-head stats, team news, potential lineups, and our score prediction to help fans and bettors alike.<\/p>\n
Atalanta, managed by the legendary Gian Piero Gasperini, have shown resilience this season despite a mixed bag of results. Their recent Serie A form reads L-W-L-W-W-L, with a notable 1-0 defeat to league leaders Inter Milan on December 28, 2025, snapping a brief unbeaten streak. However, La Dea have been formidable at home, winning four straight league matches at the Gewiss Stadium before that loss. Key wins include a 1-0 victory over Genoa and a 2-1 triumph against Cagliari, highlighting their high-pressing style and clinical finishing. In all competitions, they\u2019ve managed W-L-W-W-W-L, scoring efficiently but occasionally vulnerable defensively.<\/p>\n
Roma, on the other hand, have experienced ups and downs under their current setup. Their Serie A form is W-L-L-W-L-W, culminating in a convincing 3-1 win over Genoa on December 29, 2025 \u2013 their third victory in four recent outings. Yet, away form remains a concern, with three losses in their last four road games, often by narrow margins. In broader competitions, the Giallorossi posted L-L-W-W-L-W, including a strong 3-0 Europa League win at Celtic. Paulo Dybala and new signings like Evan Ferguson have added flair, but defensive lapses have cost them points.<\/p>\n
Both teams enter this fixture with momentum from their last wins, but Atalanta\u2019s home advantage could prove decisive in this Serie A showdown.<\/p>\n
Atalanta will miss several players due to international duties and injuries. Ademola Lookman and Odilon Kossounou are away at the Africa Cup of Nations, while Raoul Bellanova is sidelined with an injury and Mitchel Bakker remains out long-term with a knee issue. Kamaldeen Sulemana (muscle) is also unavailable, and Davide Zappacosta is doubtful with a flexor problem. Gianluca Scamacca will spearhead the attack, supported by creative forces like Charles De Ketelaere.<\/p>\n
For Roma, absences include Neil El Aynaoui (international duty\/injury), Evan Ndicka (AFCON), and Lorenzo Pellegrini (hamstring strain). Edoardo Bove is out with a heart problem, and there are fitness concerns for Evan Ferguson and Paulo Dybala, though both are expected to feature. Artem Dovbyk has returned from a thigh issue but may not start. Bryan Cristante is available, adding midfield stability.<\/p>\n
Based on recent outings and expert predictions, here\u2019s how both sides might line up in a tactical battle:<\/p>\n
Atalanta\u2019s flexible system allows for quick transitions, with De Roon anchoring the midfield.<\/p>\n
Roma\u2019s setup emphasizes counter-attacks, with Dybala\u2019s creativity key to unlocking Atalanta\u2019s defense.<\/p>\n
Considering Atalanta\u2019s strong home record, recent dominance in this fixture, and Roma\u2019s away struggles, we predict a narrow victory for the hosts. Both teams boast potent attacks, so expect goals \u2013 but La Dea\u2019s pressing game should overwhelm Roma in key moments.<\/p>\n
Our Prediction: Atalanta 2-1 Roma<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As Serie A resumes after the holiday break, all eyes turn to the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo for a thrilling\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":217,"featured_media":37623,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[448,2407],"class_list":["post-16830","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-football","tag-atalanta","tag-roma"],"reading_time":"4 min read","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/sports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16830","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/sports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/sports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/sports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/217"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/sports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16830"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/sports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16830\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/sports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37623"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/sports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16830"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/sports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16830"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/sports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16830"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}