Maurizio Sarri is impressed with the progress he has seen from Atalanta in recent games, and he hopes to carry that on against AC Milan in Serie A.
After a run of three straight losses in the Italian top flight, Atalanta halted their slump with a 3-1 win over Venezia last weekend, though they remain in mid-table.
They then followed that up with a 3-1 win over Pafos in the Conference League in midweek – a victory built on Eljif Elmas’ first-minute goal.
Atalanta are now chasing back-to-back league wins for the second time this season, following their first two matches of the campaign, and Sarri is confident in their ability.
"We started well [against Pafos], and unlike the game with Venezia where we had lots of chances and got disorganised, we made better choices on when to be direct, when to keep possession, and allowed practically nothing until that late goal," Sarri told Sky Sport Italia.
"We have found a way to be more dangerous in attack; now we need to seek greater balance and solidity too.
"The club is a model for anyone; I had never encountered a situation like this.
"Naturally, it came from many years with a completely different style of football, but the players are working hard. I hope they have a significant margin for improvement.
"I honestly don't know what we can achieve in the first year, but we have set a target for the medium-to-long term."
They face a Milan side who remain unbeaten in Serie A so far in 2026-27, winning three and drawing three of their matches to earn 12 points.
The Rossoneri were pegged back in a 1-1 draw with Sassuolo last time out in the league, but like Atalanta, they come into this match on the back of a European win after beating Salzburg 4-0 last time out.
Ruben Amorim will be aiming to get back to winning ways in Serie A, but if he avoids defeat, he will become only the third Milan manager in the league’s history to remain unbeaten in each of his first seven games in charge, and the first since Luis Carniglia (W4 D3) in 1963.
119 anni di storia, emozioni, passione. Buon compleanno Atalanta 119 years of history, heart and passion. Happy 119th birthday, Atalanta! https://t.co/PfD2kBWt76
— Atalanta B.C. (@Atalanta_BC) October 16, 2026
PLAYERS TO WATCH
AC Milan – Adrien Rabiot
After an assist against Lazio and goals against Lecce and Sassuolo, Rabiot could be involved in at least one goal in four consecutive matches for the first time in his career across Europe's big five leagues.
The last midfielder to achieve this for Milan in Serie A was Hakan Calhanoglu in December 2020 (one assist per game against Parma, Genoa and Sassuolo, one goal and two assists against Lazio).
Atalanta – Nikola Krstovic
Nikola Krstovic was involved in all three of Atalanta's goals in their last league match against Venezia, scoring two goals and providing one assist; this is the same number of goal involvements he had in his previous 11 appearances in the competition.
The 26-year-old has only been involved in more than one goal in two consecutive Serie A matches once before: in September 2025 against Lecce (two assists) and Torino (two goals).
MATCH PREDICTION: AC MILAN WIN
AC Milan are winless in their last six Serie A matches against Atalanta (D2 L4); only once in their history have the Rossoneri endured a longer winless run against them in the top flight (seven games between November 2015 and September 2018 – D5 L2).
And Atalanta have won their last two away games against Milan in Serie A; only once have they recorded three consecutive away wins against the Rossoneri in the competition, between March 1941 and March 1943.
However, Milan are the favourites to win as they are unbeaten in their first six league matches this season (W3 D3); the last time they avoided defeat in each of their first seven league games was in the 2021-22 campaign (W6 D1).
Milan could also win three consecutive home matches in Serie A for the first time in 2026.
As for Atalanta, they have lost their last two away games in Serie A (1-2 against Roma, 0-2 against Juventus) and could lose three consecutive away matches in the competition under the same manager for the first time since October and November 2017, with Gian Piero Gasperini.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
AC Milan – 51.5%
Draw – 24.4%
Atalanta – 24.1%