Atalanta v Paris Saint-Germain: Champions League quarter-final – live!
12-Aug-2020 18:18:49 | The Guardian
Atalanta have to do without Josip Iličić, who put four past Valencia in their last Champions League match, and is missing for unspecified personal reasons. He hasn’t played since facing Juventus early last month. Meanwhile goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini has a knee injury; Marco Sportiello takes over in between the sticks.
Kylian Mbappe makes the PSG bench, having recovered from an ankle sprain. Angel di Maria misses out through suspension.
Atalanta: Sportiello, Toloi, Caldara, Djimsiti, Hateboer, de Roon, Freuler, Gosens, Gomez, Pasalic, Zapata.
Subs: Sutalo, Palomino, Czyborra, Muriel, Piccoli, Malinovsky, Da Riva, Castagne, Bellanova, Gelmi, Rossi, Colley.
Paris Saint-Germain: Navas, Kehrer, Thiago Silva, Kimpembe, Marquinhos, Sarabia, Gueye, Ander Herrera, Bernat, Icardi, Neymar.
Subs: Mbappe, Paredes, Sergio Rico, Choupo-Moting, Diallo, Draxler, Bakker, Kalimuendo, Bulka, Dagba, Mbe Soh, Ruiz-Atil.
Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio. La Dea. The Goddess. She’s only ever won one trophy in her 113-year existence: the 1963 Coppa Italia. Compare and contrast to Paris Saint Germain, who have lifted two trophies in their last two matches, winning both French cup finals to complete a domestic treble. Atalanta have suffered their two heaviest European defeats this season, losing 4-0 away to Dinamo Zagreb and 5-1 at Manchester City; PSG have got the better of Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund. Atalanta are missing their leading scorer Josip Iličić; PSG will likely start with Neymar and have Kylian Mbappe in reserve. This doesn’t seem fair.
But look at it from another angle. Despite all the recent striving, PSG haven’t made it to the semis of the Champions League since their one visit in 1995. Atalanta haven’t got there at all, admittedly, but they’re not going into this match lumbered with the weight of expectation and a Qatari-funded complex. Atalanta are unbeaten against French opposition, while PSG have only won twice against an Italian side and that’s in 20 attempts, with the latest victory coming 24 years ago. And while PSG certainly know where the goal is, having scored 65 times in 20 games during 2020, Atalanta are even more renowned for their scoring prowess, their total of 98 Serie A goals this season being the highest in that notoriously stingy division since 1950. There’s a reason they’ve made it this far.
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