Atalanta host Carpi at the Stadio Azzurri d’Italia stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The hosts sit 10th in Serie A with 11 points, while the Biancorossi have earned just five points out of their first seven fixtures, leaving them just one point above the relegation zone.
Prior to the international break, top of the table Fiorentina took advantage of a 10-man Atalanta side who failed to register a goal in a 3-0 thrashing, after Gabriel Paletta saw red in the opening minutes of their fixture.
The loss followed a two-game winning streak against Empoli and Sampdoria, which represent Atalanta’s longest winning streak of the season so far.
Similarly, newly promoted Carpi have struggled since joining Serie A at the start of the season, but will look to build on their historic win over Torino.
The 2-1 victory represents the club’s only Italian top-flight football victory in the team’s history. Prior to this win, they suffered a humiliating 5-1 defeat to Roma, which lead to the replacement of coach Fabrizio Castori in favour of Giuseppe Sannino. The new coach later dedicated the team’s first win to Castori.
The two sides have never met before with this being Carpi’s first season in Italy’s top flight.
The Orobici will be glad to have their Chilean striker, Mauricio Pinilla, back as he is expected to return after being forced off the pitch with a muscular injury against Sampdoria at the end of September. The 31-year old has found the net twice in five appearances for the club this season. Both defender Emanuele Suagher and midfielder Marcelo Estigarribia, will miss out though.
Carpi will be without the 21-year old Argentine Gaspar Iniguez, who suffered a knee injury in a friendly against ND Gorica. The midfielder is not expected to return for six weeks.
Form Guide: Atalanta (D-D-W-W-L) Carpi (D-L-D-L-W)
Expected Starting XIs:
Atalanta: Sportiello, Masiello, Cherubin, Toloi, Drame, Grassi, De Roon, Kurtic, Moralez, Gomez, Pinilla
Carpi: Belec, Gabriel Silva, Zaccardi, Bubnjic, Letizia, Bianco, Cofie, Fedele, Gagliolo, Borriello, Matos
Infographics provided by www.sporticos.com
