Still trailing behind Italy's top six, in-form Atalanta BC will welcome Serie A strugglers Cremonese to Bergamo on Monday evening.
While the hosts have resurrected their league campaign - and are now through to the Coppa Italia semi-finals - Cremo have gone nine games without a win and must be looking over their shoulders.
A tally of 23 points from 12 league matches has seen Atalanta rise up the rankings since Raffaele Palladino took charge in November, and they kept that momentum going in midweek.
After defying fellow top-six contenders Como with a resilient showing last weekend - having played almost the whole game with 10 men and relied on Marco Carnesecchi's saves to claim a 0-0 draw - La Dea strode through a tough cup tie on Thursday evening.
Gaining a measure of revenge for their defeat in the 2024 final, Atalanta produced a clinical 3-0 victory over Juventus to reach the Coppa Italia semis, where they will meet either Lazio or holders Bologna.
Gianluca Scamacca continued his renaissance by coolly dispatching a penalty, before substitutes Mario Pasalic and Kamaldeen Sulemana struck deep into the second half - and the hosts also kept their eighth clean sheet of Palladino's brief reign.
Also set to face Borussia Dortmund in a two-legged Champions League playoff later this month, they must now switch thoughts back to Serie A, where they sit seventh - just outside the guaranteed European places.
Next to visit the New Balance Arena will be free-falling Cremonese, offering the Nerazzurri a chance to post their fifth consecutive home win in domestic competition.
© Imago / IPA Sport
Following a 1-1 draw in October's reverse fixture, Cremonese have yet to win a single league game against Atalanta this century - in either of Italy's top two tiers.
Furthermore, they have never taken maximum points away from Bergamo in Serie A, meaning history will weigh heavily against them on Monday - in addition to current form.
While Atalanta have conceded the fewest league goals in 2026 - only one - no team has scored fewer than the Grigiorossi, who have produced just two strikes this calendar year.
Currently without a goal in four matches, Davide Nicola's side are winless in nine, now nosediving into danger after making a very positive start.
One of several teams locked on 23 points, the Lombardy club remain clear of the drop zone, but renowned survival specialist Nicola is under pressure to turn things around.
Cremo's goal drought continued in last week's tame 2-0 defeat to title-chasing Inter Milan, and the fixture list does not relent: they must play Atalanta, Roma and AC Milan across the next four matchdays.
Atalanta BC Serie A form:
W W W D W D
Atalanta BC form (all competitions):
D L W L D W
Cremonese Serie A form:
L D L D L L
© Imago
The hosts will be missing teenage centre-back Honest Ahanor - who was sent off last week - and captain Marten de Roon due to suspension, but Palladino otherwise has a full squad to choose from following Mitchel Bakker's long-awaited return.
Having made minimal changes in midweek, he is likely to field a settled side, with Gianluca Scamacca edging out Nikola Krstovic to lead La Dea's attack.
Ex-Cremonese goalkeeper Carnesecchi will seek his seventh clean sheet of 2026; this year, he has the highest save rate across Europe's top five leagues (96%).
The Italy Under-21s star will be tasked with keeping out Cremonese's misfiring strikers Federico Bonazzolli and Jamie Vardy, who have both been stuck on five league goals for some time - albeit Vardy did score in the reverse fixture.
Recent signings Milan Djuric, Sebastiano Esposito and Youssef Maleh all featured against Inter, with the latter replacing key midfielder Jari Vandeputte, who has been struggling with a muscle strain.
The Belgian could return on Monday, and wing-back Tommaso Barbieri will be back from suspension, but Nicola will still be without injured trio Michele Collocolo, Antonio Sanabria and Warren Bondo.
Atalanta BC possible starting lineup:
Carnesecchi; Scalvini, Djimsiti, Kolasinac; Zappacosta, Ederson, Pasalic, Zalewski; De Ketelaere, Raspadori; Scamacca
Cremonese possible starting lineup:
Audero; Terracciano, Baschirotto, Luperto; Barbieri, Thorsby, Grassi, Maleh, Pezzella; Bonazzoli, Vardy
Now back in business, Atalanta's attack is looking sharp, while they boast Serie A's best defensive record since the start of the year.
By contrast, Cremonese cannot buy a goal, and confidence has clearly drained out of last season's Serie B playoff winners, who are set to suffer another defeat.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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