Young Boys Berne have faced a challenging Champions League season, losing all four of their matches. They were narrowly beaten 2-1 by Shakhtar, suffered a last-minute 1-0 defeat to Inter with a goal from Marcus Thuram, endured a heavy 5-0 loss to FC Barcelona, and were defeated 3-0 at home by Aston Villa in their opening match.
With only one goal scored in these four games, Young Boys have struggled to secure victories in Europe’s premier competition. In their domestic league, despite being Swiss champions for two consecutive years, they have slipped out of the top six, which qualifies for the championship’s final phase. They managed a 2-1 victory against Lugano before the international break, but faced a crucial match against Luzern last weekend to stay competitive.
Atalanta Bergamo, last season’s Europa Conference League winners and UEFA Super Cup runners-up to Real Madrid, have shown strong form in the Champions League. Currently, they sit just outside the top eight in 9th place with 8 points, showcasing a solid defensive record with five goals scored and none conceded. Recently, Atalanta secured a 2-0 win against Stuttgart and played out a 0-0 draw with Celtic, a result that could prove significant later on.
Their campaign began with a goalless draw against Arsenal, where they missed a penalty, and included a dominant 3-0 victory over Shakhtar in their third match. Atalanta’s strong form continues in Serie A, where they are second in the table. They remain unbeaten in their last ten matches across all competitions, with 8 wins and 2 draws.
Atalanta have had several injury issues. Central defender Benito, injured during the Shakhtar match, has not played since and may miss this game. Injuries to Mohamed Camara and long-term absences of players like Conte, Chaiwa, Janko, Pfeiffer, and Banhie Zoukrou are also concerns.
On a positive note, Algerian international Hajdam returned to action just before the break. Key players for Young Boys include Swiss international Joel Monteiro and Congolese striker Ganvoula, both with four goals in the Swiss league, as well as Cedric Itten, who has scored three goals in the championship.
Atalanta also have Serie A’s top scorer, Retegui, with 11 goals. Italian international Scamacca remains sidelined with a cruciate ligament injury, but Retegui has proven to be a strong replacement.
In addition to these absences, Atalanta will be without former Marseille player Sean Kolasinac, injured against Stuttgart, and Djimsiti, injured in a recent league match. Scalvini and Belgian international Charles De Ketelaere are also doubts. However, key players such as Lookman, Zappacosta, Pasalic, De Roon, and Toloi will be available for the match.
Prediction
Young Boys have struggled to impress recently, with only three of their last 12 Champions League matches featuring goals at both ends. Atalanta, on the other hand, has kept clean sheets in ten of their last 12 away matches in this competition. It’s unlikely that both teams will score in this match.
Prediction: Young Boys 0 – 3 Atalanta.
