Chievo host Atalanta on Sunday with both sides looking to kick on after wins in round 15.
The home side left it late to beat Frosinone 2-0 last week as they scored two goals in the last two minutes of the match. They managed to secure the win despite being reduced to ten men as former Juventus winger Simone Pepe was sent off. The win against Frosinone capped off a recent double against newly promoted sides as Chievo beat Carpi 2-1 a fortnight previously.
Atalanta also won last week and had to do so with only ten men. Marten de Roon scored the third goal in the 3-0 win against Palermo, and the midfielder revealed this week that he is not interested in a potential move to AC Milan. The victory against the Sicilians was slightly over shadowed, however, by the straight red card shown to Giulio Migliaccio for a dangerous tackle, especially given that the former Palermo midfielder had been on the pitch for less than a minute.
The Bergamo side do have the better record in recent games between the two sides, as Atalanta are undefeated in their last six matches against Chievo in all competitions. Although Chievo have drawn their last three matches against La Dea. Both matches last season in Serie A ended 1-1. In their last home game of the 2014/15 season, Sergio Pellissier netted a last minute equaliser to deny Atalanta all three points. In the match in Bergamo, it was the same story as Dejan Lazarevic scored in the 90th minute to earn the Flying Donkeys a point after Gianpaolo Bellini had been sent off for Chievo.
The hosts will have to face Atalanta without Federico Mattiello and Lucas Castro who are both injured and they have Pepe out due to suspension after his red card against Frosinone.
Atalanta coach Edoardo Reja meanwhile has more injury worries facing him ahead of the game. Boukary Drame, Mauricio Pinilla, Andrea Conti, Gianpaolo Bellini and Carlos Carmona are all sidelined due to injury. After his red card against Palermo, Migliaccio will miss the first of three games against Chievo.
Form Guide: Chievo (D-L-W-L-W) Atalanta (D-L-W-L-W)
Expected Starting XIs:
Chievo: Bizzarri; Frey, Cesar, Gamberini, Gobbi; Pinzi, Rigoni, Hetemaj; Birsa; Paloschi, Meggiorini.
Atalanta: Sportiello; Raimondi, Toloi, Scoop, Brivio; Grassi, De Roon, Kurtic; Moralez, Denis, Gomez.
Infographic from www.sporticos.com
