Atalanta Bergamo is still undefeated in this Serie A season, but is stuck in a veritable goal drought: six draws in nine competitive games, three of them scoreless. On Saturday evening, Ivan Juric’s team will visit their Lombardy neighbors Cremonese at the Stadio Giovanni Zini for the eighth round. The hosts are in 10th place with ten points, while Atalanta are in 8th place with eleven points. Cremonese are coming off a 1-1 draw with Udinese with only a short preparation time, but are performing solidly overall. The last direct encounter was over two and a half years ago, a 3-1 win for Atalanta in April 2023. In the three most recent matches, Atalanta has recorded two wins and one draw, while Cremonese is still waiting for its first win against the Nerazzurri. It is noteworthy that Cremonese never scored in the first half of these games and conceded goals after the break. For Cremonese, goalkeeper Emil Audero is back after overcoming muscle problems, but in attack the question remains whether Sanabria will start again or Jamie Vardy, who is not yet fully fit after a long injury break. Juric has to rotate his squad after the goalless Champions League game against Slavia Prague and with an eye on the next home game against Milan on Tuesday: Sulemana could replace Lookman, while Scamacca is set for his first start since the end of August. Kolasinac, who will not return until early November after tearing his cruciate ligament, and Scalvini, who has a thigh injury, are still out. Cremonese are likely to play compactly and focus on counterattacks, while Atalanta will want to control the game and finally show more efficiency in the final third. The betting market sees Atalanta ahead despite their goal drought, but the form curves and the tight league standings suggest a close game.
- Venue: Stadio Giovanni Zini, Cremona
- Date and time: October 25, 2025, 8:45 p.m.
- Competition: Serie A (Matchday 8)
Both teams are in good defensive form, with Cremonese having drawn four of their last five games without defeat and Atalanta unbeaten in nine games. This results in sensible betting options on a low-scoring game and hedging against a surprise point share for the home side. The double chance X2 is a safe option. The betting market sees Atalanta as the clear favorite at around 1.60, but the four draws for the Bergamaschi and Cremonese’s current streak make a draw quite plausible. This bet significantly reduces the risk compared to a pure away win bet. More risky, but interesting, is the bet “Both teams to score: No.” In 80 percent of the last five games for both teams, there were fewer than 2.5 goals, and Atalanta has had two scoreless games recently. Cremonese has scored only once in the last three games, and striker Moumbagna is out. Atalanta’s defense should remain stable with Kossounou, Hien, and Djimsiti or Ahanor, even though Scalvini is out again with a thigh injury. Injury updates, especially for Scalvini and Moumbagna, last-minute lineup changes, or special game developments such as an early red card can, of course, greatly influence the predictions. Market odds development and accurate probabilistic assessment should be checked before placing a bet. Due to the defensive prediction and existing uncertainties, a moderate stake is recommended: double chance as the core bet, “both teams to score: no” as a supplementary, smaller speculation.
Cremonese form & record check
Cremonese goes into the derby against Atalanta with an unusual record: no wins in the last five league games, but four draws. The lack of goals is striking, with a maximum of two goals scored in four of these five games. Overall, the team appears defensively stable, but lacks punch in attack. Their most recent home game against Udinese ended 1-1. Terracciano gave Cremonese an early lead, but Zaniolo equalized before halftime. Chances, especially from Vardy in the second half, went unused, continuing the team’s lack of efficiency in front of goal. The only clear exception was the 4-1 defeat at Inter, when the defense collapsed against a superior opponent. Cremonese are in 10th place in the table with ten points and a goal difference of minus one, just ahead of Sassuolo, who also have ten points, and Udinese with nine points. The season has been balanced so far: neither significantly above expectations nor disappointing. The main problem remains the conversion of chances; there are enough opportunities, but the final touch is lacking. There is good news on the personnel front: goalkeeper Emil Audero is fit again after muscle problems. In attack, coach Davide Nicola must choose between Sanabria, who has recently been sidelined, and Vardy, who is not yet at full strength after his injury. Collocolo and Moumbagna remain sidelined. A similar game plan to the last match is expected: compact defense and quick transitions down the wings, with the aim of being more effective in front of goal this time.
Cremonese are expected to line up in a 3-5-2 formation against Atalanta, with possible changes in attack depending on coach Davide Nicola’s decision. Emil Audero returns in goal after overcoming muscle problems. The back three is likely to consist of Terracciano, Baschirotto, and Bianchetti, while Zerbin and Pezzella should provide width on the wings. The central midfield will probably be made up of Payero, Bondo, and Vandeputte, the latter of whom recently scored an indirect free kick for Terracciano. The strike force remains open: Sanabria was rested last time out and could start alongside Bonazzoli, while Vardy played well but is not yet at 100%. Moumbagna is still out with muscle problems, and Collocolo is also unavailable due to thigh problems. Nicola could rotate his squad ahead of Wednesday’s game in Genoa.
Atalanta Form & Record Check
Atalanta are in eighth place on matchday eight with eleven points, one point behind Juventus and one ahead of Sassuolo. The team are unbeaten in nine competitive games, but have drawn many of them: four of their last five games have ended in a draw, three of them goalless. Offensively, the team under coach Ivan Juric creates many chances but scores too rarely; converting chances is currently the main problem. Against Slavia Prague, De Ketelaere, Krstović, and Lookman had good opportunities, while Scamacca missed a very easy chance from close range after the break. There were similar scenes against Lazio and Como, with both games ending goalless and 1-1 respectively. Only the 2-1 win against Club Brugge brought a victory during this phase. Statistically, a clear pattern emerges: in four of the last five games, there was a maximum of one goal in each half, and 80 percent of the games remained below 2.5 goals in total. This is in stark contrast to their dominance in terms of play and a goal difference of plus six, with plenty of possession and pressing, but too little finishing. Scalvini is still out with a thigh injury and is expected to be sidelined for around three weeks. Kolasinac is still training individually after his cruciate ligament rupture and will not be an option until early November at the earliest. Kossounou and Hien are set to start in central defense, with Djimsiti or Ahanor likely to fill the third central defender spot. Atalanta remains a dominant, ball-secure team with clear chances, but they are currently not convincing in their finishing. As long as their finishing weakness persists, low-scoring games and draws are a realistic risk. Due to injuries, the defense remains slightly altered, which could be relevant against strong opponents.
Ivan Juric is sticking with his tried-and-tested 3-4-3 system. Giorgio Scalvini is expected to be out for around three weeks with a thigh muscle injury, so Kossounou, Hien, and Djimsiti are expected to form the back three. In midfield, Zappacosta will play on the right, De Roon and Éderson in the center, and Zalewski on the left to form a four-man midfield. In attack, Sulemana is likely to start in place of Lookman, alongside De Ketelaere and Gianluca Scamacca, who has returned from injury and could start. Rotation is expected, especially with the important league game against Milan coming up on Tuesday.
Cremonese – Atalanta Head-to-head & statistics
The record from the last three meetings is clear: Atalanta dominated with two wins and a draw, while Cremonese are still waiting for their first win against the Nerazzurri. Atalanta scored in all three games, with the visitors from Bergamo always scoring at least one goal. Cremonese, on the other hand, conceded goals in every game, with the home side only managing to score once in a 3-1 defeat in April 2023. Cremonese’s best result was a 1-1 draw in Bergamo in September 2022. The other games were clearly won by Atalanta, most recently 3-1 at the Stadio Giovanni Zini. A striking pattern concerns the second half: Atalanta scored after the break in all three games. Cremonese regularly slackened defensively after half-time, which suggests physical or tactical problems against Atalanta’s intense pressing.
