Atalanta, founded in 1907, have long sat outside the obvious Italian aristocracy, but they are no novelty act. Based at The New Balance Arena, they arrive as an established Serie A side with a squad valued at around £342.5m, according to Transfermarkt.
Their current league position – seventh in Serie A – reflects a side still competitive, if not entirely smooth. They reached the Coppa Italia semi-finals and the Champions League last 16, which says enough about their level without needing to overstate it.
The squad is a sizeable one, with 37 players and an average age of 25. Gianluca Scamacca leads the scoring with 14 goals, backed by Nikola Krstović on 11 and Mario Pašalić on 10, while Lazar Samardžić and Charles De Ketelaere have also contributed. They have tended to start sharply, scoring the first goal inside 20 minutes in six of 16 league matches.
Their recent league form has been uneven: a 3-2 win away to AC Milan sits beside dropped points against Genoa and Roma, and defeats to Cagliari and Juventus. At home they average 1.4 goals scored and 0.8 conceded per match; away, the scoring rate is the same, with a little more given up.
For Celtic supporters, Atalanta are a serious Italian opponent rather than a glamour name for its own sake: technically strong, experienced in Europe, and currently just outside Serie A’s leading pack.
📈 Key stats and insights
⚔️ How they compare to Celtic
From a Celtic perspective, Atalanta look like a capable but not overwhelming opponent. Their attacking numbers are respectable rather than explosive, and their defensive record is solid without being the best in this group, so Celtic would expect to face a balanced side rather than one built around sheer control. The danger sign is their ability to win away at places like AC Milan and to share goals across the squad, but the lack of elite output at either end suggests Celtic should believe there are openings if they can impose their own tempo.
