Atalanta - Udinese: Palladino starts Scamacca as Bergamo lines up 18:00 kickoff
The lineup details for atalanta - udinese are out ahead of the 28th-round meeting scheduled for 18: 00 at the New Balance Arena in Bergamo, with Raffaele Palladino naming Gianluca Scamacca to lead the attack and Udinese coach Runjaic deploying Zaniolo and Davis in a two-up front.
Atalanta - Udinese: Palladino opts for a 3-4-2-1 with Scamacca
Palladino’s selected starting XI shows a 3-4-2-1 shape: Carnesecchi in goal; a back three of Kossounou, Hien and Kolasimac; a midfield quartet of Bellanova, Musah, Pasalic and Bernasconi; Samardzic and Sulemana supporting Scamacca up front. The club announced a 22-man squad for the match, matching the call-up list for the 28th round and confirming the home side’s options for rotation.
Runjaic starts Zaniolo and Davis in a 3-5-2
Runjaic lines up his team in a 3-5-2 with Okoye in goal; Kristensen, Kabasele and Mlacic across the back; a five-man midfield of Ehizibue, Piotrowski, Karlstrom, Ekkelenkamp and Kamara; Zaniolo and Davis leading the line. An alternate Runjaic shape listed shows a 3-5-1-1 with Zaniolo as the lone advanced attacker and Davis in support, giving clarity on the tactical options the visitors can use during the match at 18: 00.
Referee appointments, recent form and head-to-head
Antonio Rapuano of Rimini will referee the game, assisted by Alessandro Costanzo of Orvieto and Vito Mastrodonato of Molfetta, with Maria Sole Ferrieri Caputi as fourth official; the VAR team is Marco Di Bello of Brindisi and Francesco Meraviglia of Prato. Atalanta arrive having lost 2-1 to Sassuolo on Sunday — their first Serie A defeat in 2026 after a run recorded as seven wins and two draws earlier this year — while Udinese ended a three-game losing streak with a 3-0 victory over Fiorentina on Monday and sit in midtable.
Historically the fixture is tight: the clubs have met 73 times, with Udinese holding 28 victories, 23 draws and 22 wins for Atalanta; the earlier meeting this season finished 1-0 in favor of Udinese. That record provides a concrete backdrop as both coaches set out their plans at the New Balance Arena.
Squad management is a clear theme for Atalanta in the run of fixtures. The coaching staff must balance league commitments with a congested calendar that includes a Champions League tie with Bayern inside the same nine-day window, while missing players De Ketelaere, Ederson and Raspadori from the available group. Palladino’s substitution pattern — typically changing two to three starters based on performance — and the club’s home record under him (11 wins from 13 home games mentioned in the lead-up) shape expectations for how many rotations might be used against Udinese.
With both lineups confirmed and refereeing appointments set, attention turns to the 18: 00 kickoff at the New Balance Arena in Bergamo. Recovery, rotation and in-game adjustments will determine whether Atalanta can respond after Sunday’s defeat or whether Udinese’s Zaniolo-Davis partnership will produce another decisive result.
