Chievo vs Atalanta preview - Atalanta chase rare away win

Posted Saturday, May 23, 2015 by PA

Atalanta travel to Verona to face Chievo on Sunday having taken a big weight off their shoulders by ensuring Serie A survival with two games to spare.

The Bergamo outfit lost 4-1 at home to Genoa in the last round but, despite suffering their 14th defeat of the campaign, they had their place in Italy's top flight confirmed for another season after second-bottom Cagliari lost 1-0 to Palermo.

Atalanta are 17th in the standings, eight points clear of the drop zone with two games remaining.

"To have defended our Serie A status is a great result for us," Atalanta coach Edy Reja said to the Italian press. "Of course, we would have liked to have celebrated this with a different result.

"But without a doubt this defeat is the most beautiful of my career."

Reja replaced Stefano Colantuono in March and since his arrival Atalanta have lost just two of their last 11 league games.

"We have managed to change the mentality of the team," Reja said. "We put more emphasis on our attacking play.

"The players got their confidence back and we have been able to come out of a very difficult situation to remain in Serie A for another season."

Atalanta have not won on the road since beating AC Milan 1-0 on January 18 and have collected four points away from home since then.

Chievo, meanwhile, are in the midst of a three-match winless run and last weekend's 2-0 defeat at Torino dropped the Flying Donkeys to 14th place.

"We didn't see the real Chievo in Turin," Chievo coach Rolando Maran said. "We were tired from the derby against Hellas Verona in the previous round.

"I will speak to my players because I want us to finish the season strongly."

Chievo have not lost at the Marc' Antonio Bentegodi stadium since February 2.

Atalanta welcome back defender Yohan Benalouane from suspension but are without midfielders Giulio Migliaccio and Carlos Carmona as well as attacking pair Mauricio Pinilla and German Denis, who are all suspended.