Atalanta v Parma preview: injury-hit Sarri wary of Gilardino’s low block

Atalanta v Parma on Monday night pits Maurizio Sarri’s injury-ravaged side against the division’s most goal-shy attack, with both clubs desperate to end a winless run.

Main image: DSN graphic.

Kick-off at the New Balance Arena in Bergamo, the stadium formerly known as the Gewiss Stadium, is 7.45pm UK time. Valerio Crezzini referees the final game of Serie A’s tenth round.

Atalanta v Parma: Sarri’s treatment room is full

Atalanta have 11 points from nine games and are without a win in four matches in all competitions. They drew 4-4 with Frosinone and 2-2 at Fiorentina in the past eight days, either side of a 2-0 Conference League defeat at Ajax, and were beaten 3-2 by Milan before that. Milan went on to win the Derby della Madonnina, which we previewed in our Milan v Inter derby preview.

The bigger worry is the injury list. Sarri named Raoul Bellanova, Gianluca Scamacca, Franck Kessie, Sead Kolasinac, Isak Hien, Odilon Kossounou and Giacomo Raspadori as unavailable, and Thomas Kristensen was hurt early on in Florence. After that draw Sarri admitted he was worried, having had eight players missing.

Home form is the bright spot: ten of Atalanta’s 11 points have come in Bergamo, including a 3-1 win over Venezia in October. Venezia have since lost again, as our Como 1-0 Venezia report explains.

Parma’s goal drought

Alberto Gilardino’s Parma sit 18th with five points and have scored only five league goals, the fewest in Serie A. Their last win came against Genoa on 20 September. Since then they have lost to Inter, Torino and Lazio before a goalless draw with Udinese on Wednesday, when Adrian Bernabe had a penalty saved.

Sarri still refused to take them lightly. He pointed out that Parma have conceded fewer than most teams near the bottom, and warned that their compact 5-3-2 and quick counter-attacks make them dangerous. He also said Atalanta were ambitious and wanted to lay the foundations for a new cycle. Lautaro Valenti and Nesta Elphege face late fitness tests for the visitors.

Head-to-head and key numbers

Atalanta have won seven of the last ten meetings, and Parma have lost five of their last six visits to Bergamo. Parma’s most recent win in the fixture was a 3-2 victory in May 2025. Atalanta’s other league defeat in their last five came at Juventus, who beat them 2-0 in September, and the Turin side’s own form was under the microscope in our Juventus v Napoli preview.

Key numbers	Atalanta	Parma
Points (9 games)	11	5
League goals for / against	16 / 17	5 / 15
Last 5 league games	W1 D2 L2	W1 D1 L3
Last 10 meetings	7 wins	–

Our sister site DGBN has been tracking African and Black players’ goals across Europe’s top leagues, including Osimhen, Iheanacho and Lookman scoring in victories earlier this season.