Atalanta to secure second place at Parma
It may be too much to ask Atalanta to win the Serie A title this season but they can secure second place with a win at Parma on Tuesday. Can Gasperini’s side keep up their winning form? Have a read of our preview here:
Parma struggling post-lockdown
At one point Parma were every football fans second team. They burst onto the Serie A scene in the early 1990s after spending most of their existence in Italy’s lower divisions.
They made an immediate impression with a squad full of solid pros and a smattering of young talent. The successes that followed were unprecedented and so were the signings that started to drift in at Stadio Ennio Tardini.
Not only did Gianluigi Buffon emerge as one of the greatest players to grace world football, but they also had the likes of Fabio Cannavaro, Juan Sebastian Veron, Hernan Crespo, Enrico Chiesa, Tomas Brolin et al. The list goes on.
The glory years remained imprinted on the psyche of all those who watched them for years to come, but this success was built on the fiddled finances of dairy conglomerate Parmalat and it all came crashing down.
Parma did return and have been a solid fixture in the Italian top-flight in recent years. This season though, the post-lockdown form has been atrocious.
Roberto D’Aversa’s side have only won once since returning to the pitch in June, losing six of their nine matches.
They are safe from relegation but will want to see the back of a season that could have been so much more if it were not for the global crisis.
A bridge too far for La Dea
Atalanta’s draw at Hellas Verona may have put pay to their hopes of a late Serie A title charge but they can take huge credit from a wonderful season.
The attacking football has been a delight to watch and, at the time of writing, they have scored 95 goals in just 35 games.
Gian Pierro Gasperini’s attacking 3-4-1-2 has been a big hit and with technically gifted, intelligent players right throughout the strong, it has been a perfect fit.
They will be hoping for a late Juventus collapse, yet even if that does not materialise, this will be remembered as one of the greatest campaigns in the club’s history.
Parma v Atalanta betting tip
It may all be over by then but Atalanta will want to make sure they secure a second place finish so expect the usual attacking display from Gasperini’s men. With that in mind, we are backing Atalanta to win at odds of 1.36 with Betway.
Post bet chat James's Tips:
Parma did all they could but Atalanta showed their class to seal a 2-1 win at the Tardini