Atalanta vs Club Brugge Predictions

• Atalanta have picked up 24 points from 12 home games in Serie A.
• Club Brugge are winless in four on their travels (D2, L2).
• Atalanta have conceded in nine of their last 11 home games.

Expect a response from La Dea

Club Brugge claimed a deserved 2-1 win over Atalanta in the first leg of this Champions League play-off last week but it could be a different story when these sides reconvene in Bergamo on Tuesday.

La Dea’s form has dipped of late, but they did thrash Sturm Graz 5-0 in their last European night at this venue and they are facing a Brugge side who are winless in four away.

The visitors deserved their win in the first leg but there wasn’t a great deal in it and a one-goal margin of victory was about right. Atalanta showed they were more than capable of hurting the Belgian side and with home advantage I’m expecting the Europa League champions to fight back in this tie.

Gian Piero Gasperini’s side have claimed an impressive 24 points from 12 home games in Serie A and since a surprise defeat to Como back in September they’ve only lost to Real Madrid, Napoli and bogey team Bologna at the Gewiss Stadium, so they should be able to fight back in this tie on Tuesday.

Extra time could be required and I’m opting for a 2-1 win for La Dea as my correct score pick. Atalanta have struggled for clean sheets at home, keeping just two in their last 11 across all competitions, and Brugge have scored in 18 straight away games since drawing a blank in their first trip of the season. The home side are capable of putting together big wins but Brugge managed to keep things respectable in defeats to both Man City and AC Milan during the league phase, and they’re unlikely to take too many risks even if they go a goal behind so they can drag this tie into additional time.

Atalanta’s Charles De Ketelaere has a modest five goals in 21 Serie A games this season but he’s been more effective in cup competitions, hitting four goals in nine European games and six in 11 cup games overall, so he stands out as a potential anytime scorer.