Palermo v Atalanta – Preview: Rosanero hope to halt free fall against la Dea

Date: 19th April 2016 at 5:18pm
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palermo atalantaPalermo will be desperate to climb back over the relegation line when they host Atalanta at the Stadio Renzo Barbera on Wednesday evening.

The Rosanero continue to slide down the Serie A table and now sit second-to-last in 19th place. Atalanta currently find themselves safe in the 13th spot. Eleven points separate the two sides.

Palermo are in a state of crisis, having made their ninth coaching change of the season prior to their 4-0 hammering at the hands of league leaders Juventus. Davide Ballardini has been reinstated as bench boss and will be anxious to prove his worth this second time around. The Aquile have conceded a whopping 61 goals in 33 matches, good for joint-worst in the league alongside Frosinone. It remains to be seen whether or not Ballardini exposes this defense in search of a first victory in 13 rounds or if he settles for what could be an important point heading into the crucial relegation battle against the Gialloazzurri this weekend.

Atalanta have little to play for at the moment but coach Edy Reja will find comfort in his team’s seven point cushion above the drop zone. La Dea are coming off a hard-fought 3-3 draw against Roma last weekend. The team have been steady, if unspectacular this season and tend to keep matches close with a sense of discipline they hope to use to their advantage against their nervous opposition.

Sporticos palermo atalanta
The reverse fixture this season saw Atalanta emerge with a comfortable 3-0 victory, with former player German Denis opening the scoring, before Nicolo Cherubin and Marten de Room completed the rout.

Both sides face disciplinary action this weekend due to accumulation of yellow cards, as Edoardo Goldaniga misses out for Palermo while Andrea Masiello and Jasmin Kurtic sit out for Atalanta. The Rosanero face no injuries at the moment. Atalanta must do without Carlos Carmona, Davide Bassi and Mauricio Pinilla.

Form Guide: Palermo (L-D-L-L-L) Atlanta (L-W-W-L-D)

Expected Starting XIs:

Palermo: Sorrentino; Rispoli, Gonzalez, Andelkovic, Lazaar; Hiljemark, Jajalo, Chochev, Brugman; Vazquez, Gilardino

Atalanta: Sportiello; Bellini, Toloi, Paletta, Drame; De Roon, Cigarini, D’alessandro, Diamanti, Gomez; Borriello

Infographic Source: www.sporticos.com

 

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