Having been unseated as Serie A leaders before losing in the Super Cup semi-finals, Atalanta BC aim to reclaim first place by beating Udinese on Saturday afternoon.
La Dea trail leaders Napoli by three points but with one game in hand, while the Bianconeri are still outside contenders for Europe.
Match preview
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Missing out on a place in the Supercoppa Italiana final, Atalanta lost 2-0 to Lombardy rivals Inter Milan last week, when the sides met in Saudi Arabia.
Conceding twice in a crucial 15-minute spell just after half time effectively sent Gian Piero Gasperini's men straight back to Bergamo, but they still have plenty to play for in 2025.
Leading reigning champions Inter by one point in the title race, La Dea ended last year by snatching a late point against Lazio, with Marco Brescianini stepping off the bench to earn a 1-1 draw in Rome.
Although that finished a superb streak of 10 consecutive league wins, Atalanta are still in contention for a first-ever Scudetto, and after last term's Europa League triumph they are also faring well in this season's Champions League.
In 2024, the Nerazzurri posted new club records for number of wins (36) and goals scored (127), and they now return from Riyadh on a run of 13 Serie A matches without defeat - only twice in their long history have they reached 14.
Since the start of Gasperini's reign, Atalanta have never lost their first league fixture of a calendar year - posting six wins and two draws to date - so they will expect to continue an impressive run of results in Udine.
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Not only have Udinese won just one of their last eight home matches against La Dea in Serie A, but they are also winless in 14 league meetings all told.
This time, though, the Friuli club will host their visitors from Bergamo as a top-half team, following some improved form in recent weeks.
Kosta Runjaic and co are aiming to go four straight games without a league loss, after starting the new year with a 0-0 away draw against 10-man Hellas Verona.
Though they had an extra player for the final 20 minutes at Stadio Bentegodi, the Bianconeri could not break through, as Verona goalkeeper Lorenzo Montipo kept them at bay with a fine series of saves.
Nonetheless, Udinese have now accrued eight points from their last five fixtures - one more than from the previous 10 - and they sit ninth in the table, sandwiched between AC Milan and Roma.
Having narrowly survived the drop to Serie B last season, that represents real progress under Runjaic, who has been tasked with getting more out of a talented squad.
Team News
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After a spell on the sidelines, Atalanta's top scorer Mateo Retegui returned to training in midweek and could play some part in Saturday's game, along with veteran wing-back Juan Cuadrado, who has recovered from a thigh problem.
With Retegui unlikely to start, and fellow Italy striker Gianluca Scamacca still on the way back to full fitness, Charles De Ketelaere could resume his role up front after being benched against Inter.
He should be supported by Ademola Lookman, who needs one more goal to reach double figures for each of the last three Serie A seasons - it would also be his 50th strike in Europe's top five leagues.
Meanwhile, Udinese's attacking spearhead Lorenzo Lucca must serve a suspension, but Keinan Davis is hopeful of being passed fit, and 36-year-old Alexis Sanchez is also in contention to partner Florian Thauvin.
Thauvin set up the Friulani's goal in November's reverse fixture - a 2-1 defeat in Bergamo - and has gone on to equal last term's tally of Serie A goal involvements (11) with half of this season remaining.
New signing Oumar Solet is set to form the visitors' back three with Jaka Bijol and Thomas Kristensen, having been thrown straight in for his debut last weekend. Oier Zarraga, Lautaro Giannetti and first-choice goalkeeper Maduka Okoye are still absent through injury.
Udinese possible starting lineup:
Sava; Kristensen, Bijol, Solet; Ehizibue, Lovric, Karlstrom, Ekkelenkamp, Kamara; Thauvin, Sanchez
Atalanta BC possible starting lineup:
Carnesecchi; Kossounou, Hien, Kolasinac; Bellanova, De Roon, Ederson, Zappacosta; Pasalic; Lookman, De Ketelaere
We say: Udinese 1-2 Atalanta BC
As Udinese are missing their focal point up front - and they have been a little leaky at the back - Atalanta should return to winning ways.
The hosts have conceded nine goals across their last four home fixtures, so they may struggle to keep La Dea at arm's length.
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Jonathan O'Shea
