Ademola with Nigeria and Sulemana knocked out: thus the prices of the Italian player who must make a turning point in his season rise
There was an Atalanta branded Ademola Lookman and now there will be another without the rebellious braids of the Nigerian striker, who left for the Africa Cup of Nations immediately after the success over Cagliari. Raffaele Palladino will take advantage of the days of rest granted to the boys to study a new Goddess, with the aim of maintaining the same standards even without the creativity of the winger. So far the coach has almost never wanted to do without it: for Ademola only one match out of seven on the bench, the round of 16 of the Italian Cup against Genoa, otherwise always a starter in the championship and Champions League. However, necessity makes a virtue and it will be up to someone else to try not to make him regret it. The options would not be lacking, if it were not that its natural substitute, Kamaldeen Sulemana, injured, he is still in doubt for Sunday’s match against Genoa. As Daniel Maldini’s prices riseso far little used but respected by Palladino, who had him at Monza, and is looking for an opportunity to turn the season around.
the big opportunity
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Maldini would be the most logical solution if Sulemana, out for 15 days with a first degree injury to the right iliopsoas muscle, is unable to recover. The Ghanaian will be monitored in these days, we will try to get him back at least for the bench but it is far from obvious to see him on the pitch from the first minute. Just as it is difficult for the coach to change the game system, having found the right formula with the trident. Therefore, on paper, Maldini is the most credited with taking on that starting shirt that he hasn’t worn for three months, precisely since the unfortunate 4-0 in the Champions League against PSG. Daniel has since picked up the crumbs: 301 minutes in total of which 187 in the league, only 3 appearances since the start, all with Ivan Juric on the bench. With the new coach he never took off his tracksuit in the last 5 matches between Serie A and the Champions League, including 70 minutes in the Italian Cup, where he took over after Sulemana’s knockout. The prolonged absence of Lookman, who will be away for at least a couple of weeks, It’s an opportunity not to be missed for the boy who grew up in Milanwho has different characteristics compared to the other players in the squad. Maldini is a hybrid attacker who loves to receive the ball between the lines and then accelerate when running or look for the last pass. An attacking midfielder who is part offensive director and part finisher. He doesn’t lack quality, but Palladino demands more intensity from him in training and also the ability to be more incisive in front of goal. In the Italian Cup he made an assist and hit the post without however managing to enter the scoreboard. He would certainly need to play consistently but at the moment Atalanta cannot afford any more missteps if they want to leave a door open to Europe.
rebirth goal
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Maldini achieved his season goals record with Palladino (4 in 2023-24) and now he hopes to break the deadlock before the end of 2025. To do so, however, he will have to convince the manager to give him a chance from the first minute. In the trident of the Goddess Scamacca and De Ketelaere are already sure of their place, there is only one space left to fill, the one on the left, where Maldini is very comfortable. “Daniel needs trust because he is a boy who can give us a great hand”, said the coach, who at Monza had managed to strike the right chords for him to perform at his best and is convinced he can do the same in Bergamo.
the alternatives
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So far, however, on the only occasion in which he has given up on Lookman, Palladino has preferred Sulemana, who lasted less than one time before collapsing to the ground in pain due to a muscle problem. Sulemana has been out of action since the beginning of December and, even if he were to become available again, it is unlikely he will be able to play from the start. Daniel is the most logical solution but not the only one available. Mario Pasalic can also play on the leftalso little used in the last period (two games as a starter in the last seven), who in Naples was used behind the attacking duo De Ketelaere-Lookman. Or Palladino could advance Nicola Zalewskiusually used as a midfielder. There would also be the Lazar Samardzic cardfresh from assisting Samacca in the few minutes played against Cagliari. However, the Serbian is a left-footed player who is used to playing on the right. He should adapt or push the coach to change something. Palladino has time: he will evaluate and decide, as always, based on training. Whoever trains best plays with him.
injured
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More rest for Atalanta: the team will return to training in Zingonia between tomorrow (when the Christmas dinner is scheduled) and Thursday after the days off granted by Raffaele Palladino. The coach will be without Ademola Lookman and Odilon Kossounouboth of whom left for the Africa Cup of Nations, edhe will have to do without Mitchel Bakkeroperated on the cruciate in the summer and Raul Bellanova (hamstring injury). Palladino though plans to recover Isak Hien: the Swedish defender missed two matches, Chelsea in the Champions League and Cagliari in the championship, due to a flu syndrome but he expects to be fine for Sunday. Also because Palladino risks having to deal with the emergency in defense: in addition to Kossounou, Berat Djimsiti’s conditions will need to be checkedwho came off against Cagliari due to a muscle strain in his right flexor. We are awaiting the results of the tests to know the exact extent of the problem, but it is unlikely that the Albanian defender will be able to be used as early as Sunday.
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