Conference League line-ups: Atalanta vs. Kairat Almaty
BERGAMO, ITALY - OCTOBER 15: Gianluca Scamacca of Atalanta BC scores his team’s third goal during the UEFA Conference League 2026/27 League Phase MD1 match between Atalanta BC and Pafos FC at Stadio di Bergamo on October 15, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Atalanta in crisis badly need a victory against Kairat Almaty in the Conference League, so Jonathan Rowe and Lazar Samardzic support Gianluca Scamacca.
It kicks off at the New Balance Arena in Bergamo at 17.45 GMT (18.45 CET).
La Dea are having a disastrous season, as they struggle both to adapt to Maurizio Sarri’s way of doing things, and a growing injury crisis that has decimated their squad.
Sarri could now risk the sack after scraping just two points from the last six competitive matches, including a 2-0 Conference League defeat away to Ajax and humiliating 3-0 home loss to Parma in Serie A on Monday.
The absentee list now includes Thomas Kristensen, Gianluca Gaetano, Raoul Bellanova, Franck Kessie, Sead Kolasinac, Isak Hien, Giacomo Raspadori and Odilon Kossounou.
Scamacca returns from injury to lead the attack with support from Rowe, Samardzic and Kamaldeen Sulemana, dropping Eljif Elmas into midfield.
The defence has two youth team players forced to step up, Relja Obric and Javison Idele.
Kairat Almaty won the Kazakhstan title last season and dropped into the Conference League via the Champions League and then Europa League preliminary rounds.
So far in this tournament, they’ve drawn 1-1 away to Riga and been beaten 5-1 at home by Panathinaikos.
Striker Jorginho was ruled out by a torn anterior cruciate ligament in July, so Marc Gual, Azamat Tuyakbaev and Brazilian Edmilson are the options.
Atalanta: Carnesecchi; Idele, Scalvini, Obric, Bernasconi; Elmas, Pasalic; Sulemana, Samardzic, Rowe; Scamacca
Atalanta bench: Sonzogni, Sportiello, Ederson, De Ketelaere, Steffanoni, Levak, Isoa, Navarro, Zalewski, Zappacosta, Krstovic
Kairat Almaty: Anarbekov; Mrynskiy, Shirobokov, Martynovich, Kassabulat, Luis Mata; Tukakbayev, Gustavo Mendonca, Oksanen; Marc Gual, Edmilson
Kairat bench: Kalmurza, Kurgin, Sadybekov, Baibek, Bikurmanov, Jukkola, Tapalov, Bekbolat
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