In the Champions League Round of 16 on February 25, 2026, Atalanta and Borussia Dortmund will play the second leg. Only a convincing win will help the hosts.
Last season, Atalanta finished third in Serie A in what was Gasperini’s final year at the helm. Juric was appointed as head coach in the summer but disappointed within just a few months. Now, under Palladino, the team is trying to secure a place in the top half of the table while also reaching the cup semi-finals.
The German side underwent a coaching change a year ago, with Niko Kovac replacing Nuri Sahin and eventually lifting the team to fourth place. Currently, they are firmly in second in the Bundesliga—though Bayern remain unrivaled.
Atalanta started their Champions League campaign with a 0-4 defeat to PSG. However, by the end of 2025, they had secured four wins and a goalless draw against Slavia. Their qualification for the playoffs was clinched early, and come January, the players seemed less motivated: a 2-3 loss to Athletic and a 0-1 defeat to Union. Last week’s match also failed to deliver any positive results.
The German side has stood out in this tournament for their entertaining style, even by their own standards. Last year, their matches featured at least four goals each. They mostly came out on top—three wins, two draws, and a 1-4 loss to Manchester City. But after New Year’s, perhaps relaxing too much, Gerassi and company lost 0-2 to both Tottenham and Inter. Their recent encounter with another Italian team went much better—they scored a pair of unanswered goals last week.
Atalanta vs Borussia Dortmund: Key Stats and Trends
Atalanta have lost three games in a row
The club scores an average of 1.11 goals and concedes 1.33 per game
Borussia Dortmund suffered two consecutive defeats before facing the Italians
The team averages 2.33 goals scored and 1.89 conceded per game
Atalanta vs Borussia Dortmund: Probable Starting Lineups
Atalanta (probable lineup): Carnesecchi – Kolasinac, Djimsiti, Kossounou – Bernasconi, Zalewski, Pasalic, Ederson, de Roon, Zappacosta – Scamacca
Borussia Dortmund (probable lineup): Kobel – Bensebaini, Anton, Regiani – Svensson, Brandt, Bayer, Nmecha, Bellingham, Ryerson – Guirassy
Previous Meetings: Atalanta vs Borussia Dortmund
The clubs last met in the Europa League playoffs in 2018. Back then, the Germans won 3-2 at home and drew the away match.
