Atalanta vs Valencia Match Preview

Atalanta face Valencia, for the UEFA Champions League last 16, first leg, in the Gewiss Stadium.

In their first appearance in the UEFA Champions League, Atalanta qualified for the last 16 of the competition. They managed to leave more experienced teams like Shakhtar Donetsk and Brazil Zagreb out of the competition finishing 2nd in the 3rd group, behind the undisputed favorites Manchester City.

Last Saturday, Atalanta prevailed 2-1 over Roma in Gewiss Stadium, creating a 6-point difference from tjem at the 4th place, taking an important advantage to secure their next season's Champions League place. 

There are no injury problems or suspended players for Gian Piero Gasperini's team, who is expected to line up his best eleven. 

Atalanta scored in 5 of the 6 games in the group stage, while they have found the back of the net in their last 15 games in all competitions.

Valencia took a great away win in their group stage game of the competition over Ajax, and they qualified for the last 16 finishing 1st in the 8th group.

In the Spanish La Liga, they are currently quite low at 7th place, mainly due to their mediocre away performances with a record of 3-2-6. In their most recent La Liga game, Valencia drew 2-2 against Atletico Madrid in Mestalla Stadium.

Gabriel Paulista and Lee Kang are the new missings for Albert Celades' side, as well as Manu Vallejo, F. Coquelin and E. Garay.

Valencia stayed undefeated in the three away games of the group stage, having scored at least once in all of them.

Atalanta is the big surprise of the competition this season, despite their bad start with three defeats. Valencia had an unstable course in the group stage, taking 7 points from their away games, beating opponents like Ajax and Chelsea, teams with much more experience than Atalanta.

I will not risk tonight choosing the winner, I will go with a safer tip, BTTS: Yes.