Atalanta vs Sassuolo match preview: a new season begins with an intriguing test - 23.08.2026
Atalanta kicks off the new Serie A season at home—on August 23 at 20:45 local time, Maurizio Sarri's side will host Sassuolo. For the Bergamo club, it's not just the start of the league campaign, but also the first chance to see how quickly the team adapts to the style of their new manager.
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Sarri arrived this summer after Raffaele Palladino's departure, and now Atalanta fans are expecting the club to return to the fight for top spots.
However, their preparation for this match has been far from ideal. On August 20, Atalanta played their first UEFA Conference League play-off match against Hapoel and surprisingly finished with a 0-0 draw. Just three days later, they’re back on the pitch, so Sarri will surely have to consider squad rotation and player freshness.
Sassuolo is also starting the season with a new manager—Alberto Aquilani has taken charge. The fixture list immediately hands the "Neroverdi" a tough challenge: a trip to Bergamo is one of the toughest away matches to open the season.
Interestingly, recent encounters offer Atalanta no guarantees of an easy ride. Last season, Sassuolo beat the Bergamo side twice—3-0 away and 2-1 at home. So the hosts definitely have extra motivation to put an end to this unpleasant storyline.
As for the squads, Atalanta have some personnel issues: Isak Hien and Kamaldeen Sulemana are sidelined with injuries, and there have also been reports of problems for Charles De Ketelaere. For Sassuolo, Domenico Berardi is doubtful as he continues to recover from an ankle injury.
All in all, we’re in for an intriguing start. Atalanta have the stronger squad and home advantage, but they're at the very beginning of a rebuild under Sarri and have just played a European match. Sassuolo will no doubt look to capitalize and spoil the hosts’ first date with the new season.
My prediction: both teams to score – yes.
