Atalanta registered their second consecutive away victory thanks to a Teun Koopmeiners long-range strike, though it was far from a vintage performance in Verona.
La Dea had Ederson back on the bench from a pre-season injury, giving Ademola Lookman his first start, but Berat Djimsiti was out for a couple of months with a fractured leg and Jose Luis Palomino suspended after failing a doping test. Hellas welcomed Federico Ceccherini back from his ban with Marco Davide Faraoni not fully fit.
Kevin Lasagna and Miguel Veloso drilled wide for the hosts, while Caleb Okoli’s header on a Ruslan Malinovskyi flashed past the far post.
Ivan Ilic saw his snooker shot from the edge of the area flash inches wide, while Lookman stung Lorenzo Montipò’s gloves at the near stick.
Luis Muriel and new buy Ederson came on at half-time, the Brazilian making his competitive debut after a pre-season injury and immediately drilling just wide of the upright.
Atalanta broke the deadlock with an unexpected moment of magic, as Teun Koopmeiners unleashed a daisy-cutter from 20 metres out that flew into the near bottom corner.
Adrien Tameze tested Juan Musso and Darko Lazovic was very unlucky to see his stunning long-range curler smack against the crossbar on the hour mark.
Jeremie Boga and Ederson failed to make the most of promising counter-attacks, while Nadir Zortea’s rocket stung the goalkeeper’s gloves at the near post.
Marten de Roon risked an own goal with his deflection on the Lazovic low cross, while Montipò denied Rafael Toloi one-on-one and Ederson fired over from the D.
Musso flew to fingertip a Lazovic cross-shot out from under the bar.
Verona 0-1 Atalanta
Koopmeiners 50 (A)