Atalanta VS Pafos FC

Atalanta hosts Cypriot outfit Pafos FC at the Gewiss Stadium (New Balance Arena) in Bergamo tonight, Thursday, October 15, 2026, at 20:00 for an intriguing encounter in the UEFA Conference League league phase. This clash represents the first-ever competitive meeting between the two clubs in European football. While Atalanta enters as the highest-ranked team in the competition, they have never faced Pafos. Atalanta Team Analysis Maurizio Sarri’s side enters the tournament as heavy favorites but with lingering inconsistencies. La Dea managed to arrest a bruising three-match losing streak just before the break by securing a 3-1 domestic victory over Venezia. Sarri's tactical blueprint has shifted the team toward a more defensive-minded approach, though they have struggled for clinical depth, averaging a modest 1.05 expected goals (xG). To reach the main draw, they had to narrowly edge past Hapoel Tel Aviv 1-0 on aggregate in the playoffs. Selection issues complicate Sarri's plans tonight. The hosts are dealing with a heavily depleted backline as key defenders Odilon Kossounou (hamstring) and Isak Hien (thigh) are completely ruled out alongside winger Kamaldeen Sulemana. In attack, the manager faces a dilemma: whether to reward Nikola Krstović with a European start after his brilliant brace against Venezia, or stick with Gianluca Scamacca. Given the opposition, Sarri will likely rotate his midfield, relying on high numerical overloads to suffocate Pafos early while tasking a makeshift defense with maintaining a solid shape against rapid transitions.