Atalanta vs Sturm Graz: betting odds January 21, 2025

Matchday 7 of the 2024/25 Champions League group stage between Atalanta (Italy) and Sturm (Austria) will take place on January 21 at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo. Atalanta vs. Sturm: prediction and betting odds, statistics.

Referee: Donatas Rumšas (Lithuania)

Matches – 7 (International matches, 2024/25);

Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 23;

Average yellow cards per match – 3.3;

Red cards shown – 2;

Average fouls per match – 25;

Penalties – 29%.

Predicted lineups for Atalanta vs. Sturm

Atalanta (3-4-2-1): Marco Carnesecchi – Isak Hien, Berat Djimsiti, Sead Kolašinac – Raoul Bellanova, Marten de Roon, Ederson Lourenço, Davide Zappacosta – Ademola Lookman, Charles De Ketelaere – Mateo Retegui.

Sturm (4-3-1-2): Daniil Khudyakov – Dimitri Lavalee, Gregory Wüthrich, Max Johnston, Niklas Geyrhofer – Tochi Chukwuani, Jon Gorenc-Stankovic, Malik Yalquye – William Böving – Otar Kiteishvili, Sidi Yatta.

Atalanta

In the previous round, Gian Piero Gasperini's side suffered a 2-3 home defeat against Real Madrid. This result ended Atalanta's five-match unbeaten streak in the Champions League (3 wins, 2 draws). Notably, the team scored at least twice in eight of their last ten matches in this European competition. In the standings, the Italians have 11 points and occupy the 13th position. A victory would secure Atalanta a place in the playoffs.

Defender Odilon Kossounou and forward Gianluca Scamacca will miss the game due to injuries.

• The team has not won in regular time in their last five home matches in the Champions League (3 draws, 2 losses).
• At least three goals were scored in 90 minutes in 7 of the last 10 home games in this European competition.
• Atalanta players did not score in the first half in 8 of their last 10 home matches in the Champions League.

Sturm

Jürgen Säumel's side lost 2-3 away to Lille in the previous round. As a result, Sturm suffered their seventh defeat in regular time in their last eight Champions League matches. However, the team scored more than one goal for the first time in 16 previous matches in this European competition. The Austrians have only three points and are in 29th place in the standings. If they fail to win against Atalanta, they will lose all chances of advancing to the playoffs.

Notably, during the winter transfer window, Sturm sold forward Mika Biereth, who is the team's top scorer in the current Champions League with two goals.

• The club has not won in regular time in their last 11 away matches in the Champions League (2 draws, 9 losses).
• No more than three goals were scored in 90 minutes in 6 of the last 8 away matches in this European competition.
• The number "1" appeared in the scoreline at the end of regular time in 6 of Sturm's last 8 away matches in this European competition.

Atalanta vs. Sturm: Match Prediction

At home, the Italians prefer attacking football and aim to play from a position of strength against opponents of any level. Despite not scoring in two home matches in the current Champions League campaign, Atalanta accumulated an xG of 4.13 over these two games. Additionally, Gian Piero Gasperini's men scored twice against Real Madrid.

Sturm should be credited for their fighting spirit, even in lost matches in the current Champions League. Moreover, the team has performed well in creating opportunities in away matches and failed to score only against Borussia Dortmund in three away games. As long as the Austrians have a theoretical chance of reaching the playoffs, I expect them to try to capitalize on it. I anticipate that Sturm's players will not sit back in their penalty area and will manage to breach the Italian defense at least once.

I expect both teams to score in this encounter, so my prediction: Both teams to score – yes