Atalanta have already qualified for the Europa League Round of 16, so Gian Piero Gasperini hasn’t called up nine first-team players, plus six injured for the final group stage game with Rakow on Thursday.
Atalanta have won the Europa League Group D with a game to spare collecting 11 points in five matches. Even if they finish level on point with Sporting CP, Gasperini’s men have a better head-to-head record, so they’ll finish first regardless of the last round’s results.
For this reason, several regular Atalanta starters haven’t even flown to Poland on Wednesday. The likes of Juan Musso, Berat Djimsiti, Giorgio Scalvini, Davide Zappacosta, Matteo Ruggeri, Ederson, Teun Koopmeiners, Marten De Roon and Ademola Lookman have remained in Bergamo with the injured Mitchel Bakker, Gianluca Scamacca, Rafael Toloi, José Luis Palomino, Senad Kolasinac and El-Bilal Toure.
Gasperini has filled the team with many players from the U23 squad, including 20-year-old defender Giovanni Bonfanti, who is expected to start after making his Serie A debut against Napoli at the end of November. Overall, Gasperini has called 10 players from Atalanta’s youth sector for Thursday’s game.
Atalanta squad for Rakow clash
Goalkeepers: Carnesecchi, Rossi, Vismara
Defenders: Holm, Zortea, Hateboer, Bonfanti, Palestra, De Lungo, Ceresoli.
Midfielders: Pasalic, Adopo, Mendicino, Colombo, Manzoni, Bonanomi
Strikers: Muriel, De Ketelaere, De Nipoti, Miranchuk, Cisse.