Lazio vs Atalanta Combined XI: La Dea Has Slight Edge | OneFootball

On Saturday, Lazio and Atalanta will meet in a dress rehearsal for the Coppa Italia semi-final header. Although both sides will be keen to achieve cup glory at the end of the season, they also have plenty to aim for in the league. Maurizio Sarri’s men might be trailing in the race for Europe, but a win over La Dea could reignite their Top 6/7 chances.

While both fanbases would argue that the quality of their ranks has diminished in recent seasons, it will be interesting to see how the two squads compare to one another. Thus, we will pick the combined starting XI from the two clubs, while also taking into consideration the currently unavailable players.

Goalkeeper: Ivan Provedel (Lazio)

This one was probably the toughest pick of the lot, as Ivan Provedel and Marco Carnesecchi have been two of the most reliable shot-stoppers in Serie A this season. But while the Atalanta man certainly has a big future ahead of him, the Lazio man might have a slight edge thanks to his superior stats, particularly the 11 clean sheets in Serie A this term.

Right Centre-Back: Mario Gila (Lazio)

The Spaniard fell on some hardships recently, but he remains a quality central defender, as evidenced by the interest of some of the biggest clubs in Europe, including AC Milan, Inter Milan, and his former club, Real Madrid.

Centre-Back: Isak Hien (Atalanta)

Admittedly, the Swedish international has had his highs and lows this term, but he remains a robust presence at the back. Therefore, he gets the nod ahead of his teammates Giorgio Scalvini, Berat Djimstiti, and Honest Ahanor.

Left Centre-Back: Alessio Romagnoli (Lazio)

A self-explanatory choice considering Alessio Romagnoli’s great importance to the Lazio cause. Maurizio Sarri considers him irreplaceable.

Right Wing-Back: Davide Zappacosta (Atalanta)

At the age of 33, Zappacosta is no longer a spring chicken. And yet, he remains one of the most menacing forces on the flanks in Serie A. He has the ability to play on both flanks, as he’s comfortable enough to shoot and cross with either foot.

Deep-Lying Playmaker: Nicolo Rovella (Lazio)

Atalanta’s squad doesn’t feature a traditional Regista, as Marten de Roon wouldn’t truly fit the description. On the other hand, Lazio have two in Nicolo Rovella and Danilo Cataldi, but the former is a step ahead in terms of quality, at least when he’s fit enough.

Nico Paz and Nicolo Rovella (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)

Box-to-Box Midfielder: Ederson (Atalanta)

Ederson’s aura has slightly faded recently, but he remains one of the most sought-after box-to-box midfielders in Europe. He could end up reconnecting with Ademola Lookman at Atletico Madrid next season.

Left Wing-Back: Nicola Zalewski (Atalanta)

This wasn’t an easy choice in the lack of quality candidates, but Nicola Zalewski has arguably been more impressive than Luca Pellegrini overall. Nuno Tavares has been showing some improvement as of late, but he still has some strides to make to regain last season’s form.

Right Winger: Charles De Ketelaere (Atalanta)

Unfortunately for the Belgian, he could be out for a while with an injury. Nevertheless, he remains head and shoulders above Gustav Isaksen and Matteo Cancellieri.

Centre-Forward: Giacomo Raspadori (Atalanta)

The former Sassuolo man is currently playing as a supporting attacker behind Gianluca Scamacca or Nikola Krstovic, but he’s also versatile enough to lead the line.

Left Winger: Mattia Zaccagni (Lazio)

With Lookman no longer playing his football in Bergamo, picking the Lazio captain was perhaps the easiest choice on the list, especially with Raspadori moved to the centre.