Atalanta vs Cagliari — Match Preview
Fresh off a stunning Champions League victory over Chelsea, Atalanta return to domestic action at the New Balance Arena on Sunday, 14 December 2025. Despite their European heroics, La Dea find themselves in an unfamiliar 12th place in Serie A with 16 points, struggling for consistency. They face a Cagliari side (13th, 14 points) who are breathing down their necks and arrive in Bergamo with renewed confidence after a massive 1–0 win against AS Roma. This is a crucial mid-table clash where fatigue could play a major equalizer.
Atalanta vs Cagliari — Match Info
- Competition: Serie A (Matchday 15)
- Venue: New Balance Arena (Gewiss Stadium), Bergamo (Capacity: 24,950)
- Date: Sunday, 14 December 2025
- Kickoff: 15:00 CET | 14:00 GMT | 19:30 IST
- Referee: Davide Di Marco (ITA)
Atalanta vs Cagliari — Match Stakes
Atalanta (12th — 16 pts):
- Win → Moves to 19 pts; finally creates separation from the bottom half
- Draw → Disappointing follow-up to UCL win; keeps them stuck in mid-table
- Loss → Leapfrogged by Cagliari; drops to 13th or lower
Cagliari (13th — 14 pts):
- Win → Overtakes Atalanta (17 pts); huge momentum shift towards top 10
- Draw → Vital away point at a tough venue
- Loss → Momentum from Roma win stalls; gap to Atalanta widens to 5 pts
Atalanta vs Cagliari — Team News
Atalanta:
- Fatigue Management: heavy rotation expected after the Chelsea match on Wednesday.
- Scamacca G. — Out (ACL recovery – Long term)
- Scalvini G. — Available (Likely to start)
- Zaniolo N. — Questionable (Muscle fatigue)
Cagliari:
- Lapadula G. — Questionable (Knock)
- Prati M. — Available (Returning from suspension)
- Mina Y. — Available (Key defensive leader)
Atalanta vs Cagliari — Team Form (Last 5 Matches)
Atalanta
- 10/12 — 2–1 vs Chelsea (UCL)
- 07/12 — 1–3 vs Verona (Serie A)
- 03/12 — 4–0 vs Genoa (Coppa Italia)
- 30/11 — 2–0 vs Fiorentina (Serie A)
- 27/11 — 3–0 vs Eintracht Frankfurt (UCL)
Cagliari
- 07/12 — 1–0 vs AS Roma (Serie A)
- 03/12 — 1–2 vs Napoli (Coppa Italia – AET)
- 29/11 — 1–2 vs Juventus (Serie A)
- 22/11 — 3–3 vs Genoa (Serie A)
- 08/11 — 0–0 vs Como (Serie A)
Atalanta vs Cagliari — Head-to-Head (Last 5 Meetings)
- 15/02/2025 — Atalanta 0–0 Cagliari
- 14/12/2024 — Cagliari 0–1 Atalanta
- 07/04/2024 — Cagliari 2–1 Atalanta
- 24/09/2023 — Atalanta 2–0 Cagliari
- 06/02/2022 — Atalanta 1–2 Cagliari
Atalanta vs Cagliari — Playing XI (Predicted Lineups)
Atalanta (3-4-2-1)
Carnesecchi; Djimsiti, Hien, Kossounou; Bellanova, Pasalic, Ederson, Ruggeri; Samardzic, Brescianini; Retegui
Cagliari (4-2-3-1)
Scuffet; Zappa, Mina, Luperto, Augello; Makoumbou, Adopo; Zortea, Gaetano, Luvumbo; Piccoli
Atalanta vs Cagliari — Impact Bench
Atalanta: Lookman (Game changer), De Ketelaere (Creative spark), De Roon (Lockdown option)
Cagliari: Pavoletti (Aerial threat), Viola (Set-piece specialist)
Atalanta vs Cagliari — Tactical Analysis
Atalanta
Gian Piero Gasperini faces a balancing act. The “European Hangover” is real, and with high-intensity man-marking being their trademark, tired legs could be fatal. Expect Atalanta to rely on the wing-backs (Bellanova/Ruggeri) to stretch Cagliari wide, but the tempo might be slower than usual. Retegui will be tasked with holding up the ball to allow midfielders to join the attack.
Cagliari
Davide Nicola’s side thrives on disruption. After beating Roma, they have a blueprint: sit compact, absorb pressure, and release Zito Luvumbo into space. Cagliari will target the spaces left behind Atalanta’s aggressive defenders. If Atalanta’s press is a split-second late due to fatigue, Cagliari’s vertical transitions through Gaetano and Piccoli will cause major problems.
Atalanta vs Cagliari — Key Battles
- Hien vs Piccoli — physical duel in the center
- Ederson vs Makoumbou — battle for midfield engines
- Bellanova vs Augello — pace on the flank
- Carnesecchi vs Luvumbo — stopping the counter-attack
Atalanta vs Cagliari — Spotlight Players
Atalanta — Mateo Retegui
With rotation likely in the supporting cast, the Italian international striker must be clinical. He needs to convert the few half-chances he gets to settle the nerves early.
Cagliari — Zito Luvumbo
The Angolan winger is electric. His speed is the perfect weapon against a tired Atalanta high line. If he isolates a defender 1v1, he can win the match on his own.
Atalanta vs Cagliari — Prediction
Atalanta 2–1 Cagliari
It won’t be pretty. Atalanta will be drained from the Chelsea win, and Cagliari are gritty. However, the depth of Gasperini’s squad and the home atmosphere should be enough to scrape a narrow victory, likely decided by a substitute in the second half.
Atalanta vs Cagliari — Betting Insights
- Both Teams to Score — YES
- Over 2.5 Goals — Likely
- Atalanta to Win (Match Result) — Yes
Atalanta vs Cagliari — Where to Watch
- Italy: DAZN
- USA: Paramount+
- UK: TNT Sports / OneFootball
Atalanta vs Cagliari — FAQs
Q: When is the Atalanta vs Cagliari match?
A: The match kicks off on Sunday, 14 December 2025, at 15:00 CET.
Q: Where is the match being played?
A: It will be played at the New Balance Arena (Gewiss Stadium) in Bergamo.
Q: Is Gianluca Scamacca playing?
A: No. Scamacca is out with a long-term ACL injury.
Q: How can I watch Atalanta vs Cagliari in the USA?
A: The match is available to stream live on Paramount+.
Q: What was the result of the last meeting?
A: The teams drew 0–0 in Bergamo in February 2025.
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