Atalanta arrive in Dortmund with their forward options already trimmed.
They face Borussia Dortmund at BVB Stadion Dortmund on Tuesday, 17 February, in the UEFA Champions League knockout play-off first leg, kicking off at 21:00 CET.
That timing is the real problem. A European away leg is usually about surviving the first wave, then changing the rhythm with fresh legs and a different profile off the bench. But Atalanta are reported to be without Charles De Ketelaere following knee surgery, and Giacomo Raspadori due to a hamstring strain picked up at the weekend.
The twist: Dortmund aren’t spotless either. Coach Niko Kovač said he has four injured centre-backs and confirmed Nico Schlotterbeck won’t be risked, hinting at a patched-up back line. That gives Atalanta a target — if they can’t rotate in attack, they may try to stress Dortmund with direct runs and set pieces.
Selections still come with a caveat. UEFA’s predicted XI lists Gianluca Scamacca up front with Lazar Samardžić and Nicola Zalewski in support, while Football Italia’s reported probables lean more toward Mario Pašalić in the No.10 zone.
