With the international break now over, Liverpool can look ahead to the final two months of their season.
It’s set to be a big finale at Anfield, with Jurgen Klopp’s reign now in its very last throes. Having disappointingly exited the FA Cup just prior to the break, Liverpool will still be aiming to win both the Premier League and Europa League.
The league campaign gets back underway this Sunday, with Klopp handed a new fitness boost. Click here to find out which injured player the manager is hoping to have back available to play against Brighton.
Beyond that, Liverpool’s efforts to make it a successful season in Europe recommence a week on Thursday.
Having been drawn against Atalanta in the last-16, the first-leg will take place at Anfield on April 11th. The return in Bergamo will be a week later, on the 18th. And it’s safe to say that Atalanta’s players are looking forward to another visit to Merseyside.
Have Atalanta played at Anfield before
Next month’s visit will actually be Atalanta’s second ever match at Anfield. La Dea were previously on Merseyside during the behind-closed-doors 2020/21 campaign.
That saw them beat an under-strength Liverpool team 2-0 in the Champions League, in front of an empty stadium.
It wasn’t an especially damaging result for the Reds, who went on to comfortably qualify for the last-16 anyway. But Gian Piero Gasperini and his men may use it as inspiration for their upcoming trip nevertheless.
One of the players in the Atalanta squad that day was centre-back Matteo Ruggeri. And although he didn’t get on the pitch in the end, the 21-year-old has told Gazzetta dello Sport that he’s really looking forward to returning to see a full Anfield.
“We’ll try to cause trouble for Liverpool with lightheartedness,” Ruggeri explained.
“Sometimes, I imagine a crowded Anfield. I saw it behind closed doors during the lockdown, and that turf was like a pool table.”
How are Atalanta doing
Rewind back to their last game against Liverpool, and Atalanta were a little bit more of a force than they are today. Under Gasperini’s expert hand, La Dea were coming off the back of two consecutive third-place seasons in Serie A. They would go on to make it a third straight bronze finish later in the season.
However, in the two full campaigns since then they dropped to eighth and then fifth. With 10 games left to play, Atalanta sit in sixth place in the table.
Despite that, Gasperini is still in charge and they still look dangerous. Two midfielders – Teun Koopmeiners and Ederson – have been linked with Liverpool and the Reds would be wise to keep an eye on them both.
Atalanta are also through to the semi-final of the Coppa Italia and should certainly not be taken lightly. As Ruggeri alludes to, they caused an upset at Anfield last time and they’ll be hoping to do the same again.
