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Both sides have scored in all their European matches this season, RB Leipzig netting 20 in eight games while Atalanta have scored 21 in ten. In fact, 16 of the 23 European matches at Red Bull Arena have seen both teams score. Atalanta have found the net in each of their last 13 European matches played outside Bergamo.
Both teams to score is 8/13.
Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals is 1/1.
RB Leipzig to win and over 2.5 goals is 8/5.
Christopher Nkunku has scored 27 goals this season, eight of which have been in Europe. He is 11/2 to break the deadlock and 8/5 to score anytime.
Match preview
These two have enjoyed astronomical rises in recent seasons, albeit via different means, and both will believe this can be their year in Europe.
This year, they didn’t win any of their first four Champions League group matches, but back-to-back wins saw them snatch third spot.
Then, in the first knockout round, die Roten Bullen proved too strong for Real Sociedad, drawing 2-2 at home before a 3-1 victory in San Sebastián.
Domenico Tedesco’s side haven’t been in European action since, receiving a bye when Spartak Moskva were thrown out the competition.
But, domestically, Leipzig could be coming into form at just the right time, hammering Borussia Dortmund 4-1 at Westfalenstadion on Saturday.
Konrad Laimer, Christopher Nkunku and Dani Olmo scoring in a victory that means they’ve taken 26 points from the last 33 available.
They’re also through to the DFB-Pokal semi-finals where they’ll host Union Berlin; second-tier Hamburg take on Freiburg in the other tie.
So, there are still two great opportunities for Leipzig to win silverware for the first time since lifting the Regionalliga (fourth-division) title in 2013.
Atalanta though have been a true fairytale story, punching above their weight both at home and abroad for many years now.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s team have finished third in Serie A in each of the last three season, eclipsing the club’s best-ever previous finish of fifth in 1948.
La Dea had reached the Champions League knockout phase in both of the previous two campaigns, but were eliminated in the group stage this time round.
Nevertheless, since dropping down, they’ve won all four Europa League games, overcoming Olympiacos 5-1 and Bayer Leverkusen 4-2 on aggregate.
So now, they’re on a verge of a first European semi-final since losing at that stage of the Cup Winners’ Cup against K.V. Mechelen 34 years ago.
Unlike their German opponents, Atalanta are in poor form, going down 3-1 to Scudetto chasing Napoli on Sunday.
This means La Dea have slipped down to seventh having won just three of their 13 Serie A fixtures.
Will RB Leipzig make home advantage count in this first leg?
RB Leipzig team news
Without doubt, Christopher Nkunku is the man to watch in red and white having scored an amazing 27 goals this season.
Back in September, he become only the fourth player to score a Champions League hat-trick but lose the game, doing so against Man City.
Ronaldo (2003), Gareth Bale (2010) and İrfan Can Kahveci (2020), the latter against Leipzig, the others.
He’ll continue to partner André Silva in attack with Yussuf Yurary Poulsen out injured.
In midfield, Tyler Adams could return; he was rested on Saturday having played three games in six days for the U.S. last week.
Dani Olmo and Konrad Laimer could be alongside, chosen over Dominik Szoboszlai.
Atalanta team news
The visitors are without key centre-back Rafael Tolói and Josip Iličić who hasn’t featured since early-January as he’s on compassionate leave.
With Tolói, Merih Demiral could return alongside José Luis Palomino and Berat Gjimshiti at the back.
At wing-back, Joakim Mæhle was only on the bench on Sunday but could displace Davide Zappacosta with Hans Hateboer on the other side.
Likewise, Duván Zapata is expected to return to the XI, displacing his compatriot Luis Muriel, thereby partnering Ruslan Malinovskyi.
Jérémie Boga scored the winner in Germany against Leverkusen last month so will be hoping to do something similar here too.
Serie A table:
Bundesliga table:
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