Serie A Betting: Atalanta Flying High Under Gasperini

· Feb 09 - 5 minutes read

Having managed 297 matches across two different spells as Genoa manager, Gian Piero Gasperini will return to Stadio Luigi Ferraris on Sunday, where he’ll be looking to lead Atalanta to their 13th league win of the campaign. We’re backing Atalanta to come away with the three points in our Serie A betting predictions.

Since taking charge of Atalanta in the summer of 2016, Gasperini has transformed La Dea from a side focused on battling relegation into a perennial European powerhouse and one of the most aesthetically pleasing outfits in Italy. They’ve missed out on European football just once since his appointment, finishing eighth in 2021-22 before bouncing back with a fifth-place finish, and they are a surefire addition to our soccer picks and parlays.

Serie A Betting: Atalanta Flying High Under Gasperini — Charles De Ketelaere of Atalanta B.C-Domenico Cippitelli / NurPhoto / NurPhoto via AFP

Gasperini not only ended a 27-year absence from European competition for Atalanta, but he also led them to the continent’s premier competition for the first time in the club’s history. Atalanta is on track to qualify for the UEFA Champions League for the fourth time in six years, with the Bergamo side currently sitting one point above Roma with a game in hand.

Despite selling star center-back Radu Dragusin to Tottenham for €31 million, newly promoted Genoa has strung together an impressive run of form under Alberto Gilardino. The Rossoblu’s last defeat came on Dec. 10, whilst their last home defeat came on Oct. 7.

It won’t be easy, but if there’s one team that’s capable of ending Genoa’s four-match unbeaten run at home, it’s Atalanta. Gasperini’s side has gone through an attacking rebuild over the past few months with the likes of Rasmus Hojlund, Duvan Zapata, and most recently, Luis Muriel exiting the door. They have nevertheless coped well, scoring 40 goals in 22 matches – second only to Inter (51) and Milan (46) in Serie A – and conceding just 22 goals, second only to Inter (10), Juventus (14) and Torino (19).

If you’re planning to bet on soccer this weekend, bet on Atalanta coming away with a victory.

Genoa vs Atalanta Moneyline Pick: Atalanta (+105)

Orlando City are getting an absolute baller in Luis Muriel. pic.twitter.com/PmX1xiDWDb

— Zach Lowy (@ZachLowy) February 7, 2024

Serie A Player Props: De Ketelaere Steals the Show

No Ademola Lookman, no problem: Atalanta is riding high thanks to a variety of summer recruits, including Milan loanee Charles De Ketelaere.

Ademola Lookman is Atalanta’s top scorer in Serie A with seven goals, but he hasn’t suited up for the club in 2024; instead, he’s played a pivotal role in Nigeria’s run to the AFCON Final.

With Lookman away in the Ivory Coast, Atalanta has been able to turn to their wide variety of attacking options and continue their stellar form under Gasperini.

Atalanta entered 2024 on the back of four wins in five matches, and their first game of the new year would see La Dea prevail 3-1 vs. Sassuolo in the Coppa Italia, with De Ketelaere scoring a brace.

De Ketelaere struggled to fulfill expectations after swapping Club Brugge for Milan in 2022 for a fee of €35 million, with the Belgian failing to score a single goal and making just nine league starts. However, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and as he approaches his 23rd birthday, De Ketelaere is emerging as a protagonist in Atalanta’s attack. He grabbed a brace of assists in their 2-0 win vs. Udinese before opening February with a brace in their 3-1 win vs. Lazio, and he’s a surefire addition to your soccer player props.

Atalanta is alive in three competitions after finishing atop their Europa League group, and they’ll be looking to pick up a fifth win on the bounce at Genoa.

The last time these two sides, Atalanta came away with a 2-0 win courtesy of goals from Ederson and Lookman. Few sides in Italy have such a wide variety of attacking options, with Ederson (6), Koopmeiners (8), Lookman (10) and summer recruit Gianluca Scamacca (9) chipping in.

However, no Atalanta player has more goal contributions than De Ketelaere (11). We’re expecting him to make a difference at the weekend in Genoa. The odds are in Atalanta’s favor as they look to come away with a victory, with our sportsbook backing them at +105.