Atlanta and Juventus will clash at Mapei Stadium in Reggio Emilia on Wednesday, May 19, in the grand finals of the 74th edition of Coppa Italia. These two have never met at this stage of the competition before, and while both will be eager to hoist the trophy, Juventus might have other things on their mind.
Atalanta vs Juventus
When: Wednesday, May 19 – 21:00 CEST
Where: Mapei Stadium in Reggio Emilia, Italy
Weather: Partly cloudy, 14°C
Referee: Davide Massa
Atalanta vs Juventus will clash in the 2021 Coppa Italia finals. These two teams have yet to meet at this stage of the competition. However, they both already made it to the final stage of the Italian Cup before.
Juventus is the absolute record-holder when Coppa Italia titles are concerned, with 13 trophies in the cupboard. Atalanta currently has only one title, which they won way back in 1963.
The last time Atalanta and Juventus played in the Italian Cup, Atalanta won. It happened in 2019 when Atalanta demolished Juve 3-0. Can they do something similar again?
High-Scoring Atalanta Is Without a Loss In 10 Games
Atalanta are second in the Italian Serie A ahead of the season’s final round (played in four days). No matter what happens in the last league game, Atalanta will not fall out of the top four, which means that they’ve already secured a place in the Champions League for 2021/22.
Because of that, the Nerazzurri can now focus entirely on claiming their first silverware in almost 60 years. Winning the trophy would wrap up a very successful season for a team that’s been playing the most attacking-minded football in Italy (perhaps even in the whole of Europe).
Atalanta are the highest-scoring team in the Italian Serie A, with 90 goals in 37 matches. They’ve also shown a goal-scoring mood in the cup, putting away a total of nine goals in four games.
Another thing going in favor of Atalanta is that practically all of their players are 100% fit. That explains why this team has been playing so well lately – they’re without a defeat since losing to Real Madrid in the Champions League in mid-March.
Juventus Looking to Salvage Their Season
Andrea Pirlo will probably have to pack his stuff at the end of the season after failing to win the Italian Serie A title with Juventus. For the first time since 2010, Juventus won’t end the season as Italian champions.
Things, however, could get much, much worse for Juve. They’re currently fifth in Serie A, which is a position that leads to the Europa League. Getting to the top 4 and book a ticket to the Champions League is their main priority. They need that more than lifting their 14th Italian Cup.
The decisive league match is played on Sunday when Pirlo’s face Bologna, a team lead by Sinisa Mihajlovic. We’re mentioning the Serbian strategist is because he’s talked about as a potential replacement for Pirlo at the helm of Juve.
That’s one more reason why Mihajlovic will be eager to spoil Pirlo’s plans. However, even if Juve win that bout, it’s not a guarantee that they will earn a spot in the Champions League – it all depends on how the teams above them perform in the final round.
The good news for Juventus is that they’re in decent form. They are entering the cup finals after defeating the new Serie A champ Inter Milan 3-2. What has to worry them is that they will be without two essential defenders in this game.
Alex Sandro is suspended after collecting too many yellow cards, so he will surely miss the game. Leonardo Bonucci is struggling with an injury, but he has travelled with the team to Reggio Emilia. Still, Pirlo will likely keep him on the bench.
Atalanta vs Juventus Betting Picks
It’s strange to say it, but Atalanta look like a better team than Juventus. Sure, Juve have some real superstars in the squad, but the team from Bergamo has been playing much better football this year.
Plus, Juve have other things on their mind – they need to think about the final round of the Serie A. Atalanta have finished their job early.
For all these reasons, it’s not crazy to suggest Atalanta could win their first Coppa Italia in almost 60 years.
Prediction: Atalanta -0.25 Asian Handicap
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