Atalanta go out all guns blazing for their Europa League decider with Borussia Dortmund, as Papu Gomez and Josip Ilicic challenge Michy Batshuayi.
It kicks off at the Mapei Stadium at 20.05 GMT, follow all the action from today’s Italian Europa League sides on the LIVEBLOG.
Atalanta go out all guns blazing for their Europa League decider with Borussia Dortmund, as Papu Gomez and Josip Ilicic challenge Michy Batshuayi.
It kicks off at the Mapei Stadium at 20.05 GMT, follow all the action from today’s Italian Europa League sides on the LIVEBLOG.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s continental adventure has been thrilling from the start, as simply qualifying for the first time in 28 years was an achievement, followed by topping their group ahead of Lyon and Everton. They had been leading 2-1 in the first leg, but were beaten 3-2 by a late Michy Batshuayi brace.
Those two away goals from Josip Ilicic give them a very good chance of getting through to the Round of 16 and the atmosphere at the Mapei Stadium in Reggio-Emilia – where Atalanta have played all their Europa League home games due to the Stadio Azzurri d’Italia not meeting UEFA standards – is electric.
There were already 5,000 Atalanta fans who made the trip to Dortmund and will be even more fired up for this game.
Papu Gomez and Ilicic act as strikers, with support from Bryan Cristante in the trequartista role, while Leonardo Spinazzola returns after he was rested on Sunday against Fiorentina.
Borussia Dortmund must do without suspended midfielder Julian Weigl, while Marco Reus is not fit enough to start on the right.
Mario Gotze steps in to join Andre Schurrle and Christian Pulisic supporting Batshuayi, on loan from Chelsea.
Atalanta: Berisha; Toloi, Caldara, Masiello; Hateboer, De Roon, Freuler, Spinazzola; Cristante; Ilicic, Gomez
Atalanta bench: Gollini, Haas, Palomino, Castagne, Gosens, Petagna, Cornelius
Borussia Dortmund: Burki; Toljan, Toprak, Papastathopoulos, Piszczek; Dahoud, Sahin; Pulisic, Gotze, Schurrle; Batshuayi
Borussia Dortmund bench: Weidenfeller, Zagadou, Reus, Isak, Beste, Castro, Schmelzer