Atalanta vs Liverpool

Out-of-sorts Liverpool head to the Gewiss Stadium to take on Atalanta in the return leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie, looking to overhaul a substantial 3-0 deficit.

Gianluca Scamacca’s brace inspired Atalanta to a scintillating first-leg triumph last week, helping them become the first team to beat Liverpool on their home ground this season and set one foot in their second European semi-final. However, Gian Piero Gasperini’s side suffered a shock in the build-up to this crunch contest, dropping a 2-0 halftime cushion in a 2-2 home draw against Serie A minnows Hellas Verona. That result contributed to Atalanta’s patchy home form (W1, D1, L1), which should serve as a stark reminder that they can’t afford to rest on their laurels. On the bright side, the hosts have gone from strength to strength in their recent Europa League home outings, losing just once in their last 22 (W13, D8).

As for Liverpool, Crystal Palace threw a dent into their quest for Champions League glory, eking out a 1-0 win at Anfield over the weekend to demote Jurgen Klopp’s side to third, two points adrift of perennial champions Manchester City. After being denied their 250th European win in the first leg, the Reds have a mountain to climb to reach their 21st European semi-final. But they can draw confidence from demolishing Atalanta 5-0 in their only previous meeting at the Gewiss Stadium in November 2020. Another rampant performance is not beyond Liverpool, yet they’ve netted 3+ goals just four times on their last 20 continental travels. If it’s any consolation, they’ve bagged multiple goals in three consecutive away games in the build-up to this trip.