Atalanta, founded in 1907, remain one of Italian football’s more substantial modern operators, based at The New Balance Arena and shaped by the demands of Serie A. Their 2025-26 campaign also included involvement in the Conference League qualifying play-off round.
The squad carried a market value of around £342.5m, according to Transfermarkt, with 45 players and an average age of 25. That points to depth as much as polish, and to a club operating in a financial bracket Celtic supporters will recognise as well above Scotland’s domestic norm.
Their league numbers were steady rather than extravagant. At home they averaged 1.3 goals scored and 0.8 conceded per match; away, 1.4 scored and 1.1 conceded. They struck first inside 20 minutes in five of 16 league matches, so the early threat was real without being relentless.
Gianluca Scamacca led their scoring with 14 goals, backed by Nikola Krstović on 11 and Mario Pašalić on 10. Lazar Samardžić and Charles De Ketelaere added further weight, giving Atalanta a spread of attacking contributors rather than a single point of dependence.
Their most recent six league matches brought one win, three draws and two defeats. The clear high point was a 3-2 away win over AC Milan, but it sat among dropped points against Fiorentina, Genoa and Roma, plus defeats to Bologna and Cagliari.
For Celtic supporters, Atalanta profile as a seasoned Italian side with squad value, attacking variety and controlled scoring margins. They are not an unknown quantity, nor a name to dress up: they are established European-level opposition with enough quality to punish loose work.
