Leipzig vs Atalanta Europa League quarter-final preview: Where to watch, kick-off time, predicted line-ups
Thursday, April 7, 2022
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When is it? How can you watch it? What are the possible line-ups? All you need to know about the UEFA Europa League quarter-final first leg between Leipzig and Atalanta.
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Leipzig and Atalanta meet in their UEFA Europa League quarter-final first leg on Thursday 7 April.
Leipzig vs Atalanta at a glance
When: Thursday 7 April (18:45 CET kick-off)
Where: RB Arena, Leipzig
What: UEFA Europa League quarter-final first leg (second leg 14 April)
How to follow: Build-up and live coverage will appear here
Semi-final opponents: Braga or Rangers
Where to watch Leipzig vs Atalanta on TV
Fans can find their local UEFA Europa League broadcast partner(s) here.
What do you need to know?
Given a bye to the quarter-finals after eliminating Real Sociedad in the play-offs, Leipzig lost their only previous home game against Serie A opponents, 2-0 to Napoli in 2017/18. Atalanta eliminated another Bundesliga side – Leverkusen – in the round of 16, with Leipzig boss Domenico Tedesco (born in Italy, though confusingly his name means 'German' in Italian) impressed by Gian Piero Gasperini's "well-organised team".
Possible starting line-ups
Leipzig: Gulácsi; Simakan, Orban, Gvardiol; Klostermann, Laimer, Kampl, Angelino; Forsberg, Nkunku; Silva
Suspended: none
Misses next game if booked: Adams, Kampl, Orbán, Simakan
Atalanta: Musso; Scalvini, Demiral, Palomino; Zappacosta, Freuler, De Roon, Mæhle; Pašalić; Malinovskyi, Boga
Suspended: none
Misses next game if booked: De Roon, Demiral, Pašalić, Tolói
Form guide
Leipzig
Form guide (all competitions, most recent first): WDWDW
Where they stand: 4th in Bundesliga, German Cup semi-finals
Atalanta
Form guide (all competitions, most recent first): LWWDW
Where they stand: 7th in Serie A
Away goals rule abolished
There has been a rule change for 2021/22: ties level after the second leg will go to extra time and a penalty shoot-out if required, irrespective of the number of away goals a team has scored.
Expert predictions
James Thorogood, match reporter
Still afloat in three competitions, Leipzig have billed this as 'Mega April'. The 4-1 demolition of Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga made for an impressive start to the month and, with Christopher Nkunku leading of a star-studded ensemble, they are confident that they can reach the final four of a UEFA competition for the second time in three seasons.
What the coaches say
Domenico Tedesco, Leipzig coach: "Atalanta are really strong away from home; their style is intense and aggressive. We have to wait for the right moments, both in attack and defence, and can't afford to lose our patience or become too hungry. It's the first of two legs."
Gian Piero Gasperini, Atalanta coach: "An Italian side hasn't won this trophy since 1999, so we are not yet in a position where we feel the pressure to win after 23 years. We know that if we get past this round, the semi-final would be an extraordinary achievement."
Seville's Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium will stage the final on Wednesday 18 May.
The winners gain a place in the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League group stage, if they have not qualified via their domestic competition.