
Date: Thursday 18th April, 2024
Time: 8:00 pm
Stadium Gewiss Stadium
Referee Francois Letexier (France)
Goal Scorer:
Atalanta[/size
As well as hamstring victim Giorgio Scalvini - who is also expected to sit out Thursday's second leg - Atalanta's defensive ranks were further ravaged before the Anfield beatdown, as ex-Arsenal man Sead Kolasinac picked up an adductor problem.
However, the Bosnia-Herzegovina international was back on the bench for the weekend's visit of Verona, where Marten de Roon missed out on account of a yellow-card suspension, but the experienced Dutchman is now back at Gasperini's disposal.
As a result, only Scalvini should be absent from the Atalanta squad this week, and De Roon's timely return will likely see the 33-year-old shoe-horned into a three-man defensive wall with Berat Djimsiti and Isak Hien, as was the case at Anfield. Davide Zappacosta is back from a Serie A ban too, and should start on the right.
Atalanta BC possible starting lineup:
Musso; De Roon, Djimsiti, Hien; Zappacosta, Pasalic, Ederson, Ruggeri; Koopmeiners; Scamacca, De Ketelaere
Liverpool
While the hosts' rearguard ranks will be reinforced this week, Liverpool will likely have to make do without young right-back Conor Bradley, who overstretched his foot in the loss to Palace and had to be helped off the field by medics.
There is still no official word on the seriousness of Bradley's issue, but Trent Alexander-Arnold should now be primed for his first start since recovering from a knee injury, while Stefan Bajcetic could also make himself available after returning to action for the Under-21s last week.
Ben Doak (knee), Joel Matip (knee) and Thiago Alcantara (muscle) remain out, but Alisson Becker and Diogo Jota have also battled back from their afflictions in recent weeks; the latter is a candidate to replace Luis Diaz or Darwin Nunez, whose big chance conversion rate of 19.4% is the worst in Europe's top-five leagues.
Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Elliott; Salah, Jota, Diaz
Prediction: Atalanta BC 2-3 Liverpool (Atalanta win 5-3 on aggregate)
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