US Sassuolo Calcio vs Atalanta preview - Consigli relishing Atalanta return

Sassuolo goalkeeper Andrea Consigli is looking forward to an emotional reunion as Atalanta visit the Mapei Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Lombard stopper's eight-year association with Atalanta ended in the summer as he moved east to Sassuolo and his new club are currently outperforming his last by two points and two places.

Fourteenth-placed Sassuolo are unbeaten in four games and Consigli admits he will readily help hurt his former employers if it means extending that fine run.

"I will be excited on Saturday," he told Corriere dello Sport. "It's the first time I've faced Atalanta.

"I've really been looking forward to this match, there are three points up for grabs right before an international break.

"This game comes at the end of a spell which has seen us improve and find some much-needed balance.

"Sassuolo are growing in confidence and playing the football the coach wants us to play.

"We have to win, and we have the power to do so."

Consigli also found time to praise his successor in Bergamo, 22-year-old Marco Sportiello, who has kept three clean sheets this season.

"He's still a young boy and I wished him all the best when I left," added Consigli.

"He can certainly do very well in the future, but I hope he only does so after Saturday!"

Sassuolo boss Eusebio Di Francesco has major personnel issues in the outfield, however, with Lorenzo Ariaudo, Paolo Cannavaro, Thomas Manfredini and Simone Zaza all missing through injury.

Atalanta are not without their issues and Vlada Avramov, Marcelo Estigarribia and Alejandro Gomez top the list of walking wounded. Midfielders Luca Cigarini and Carlos Carmona are both suspended.

The Nerazzurri have struggled to score this term - they have drawn a blank in seven of their 10 games thus far - and head coach Stefano Colantuono is having difficulty understanding why.

"I don't know if it's that much of a problem," he told La Repubblica Sport. "But the numbers don't lie.

"It is undeniable that something needs fixing in the forward line."