Atalanta vs. Juventus: 5 key players to watch on Matchday 31

Juventus have shared the spoils with Atalanta in back-to-back matches. But with just one point separating the two Champions League contending sides, the Bianconeri will want to secure all three points, having accomplished this task against fifth-placed Napoli last week on Wednesday.

Atalanta are in good form and have a side filled with talent, especially on the attacking end. Let’s take a look at five key players to watch on Matchday 31 at the Gewiss Stadium, picking players from both sides based on Sky Sport Italia’s predicted lineups. 

Juventus FW Paulo Dybala

With Cristiano Ronaldo ruled out injured against Atalanta, Paulo Dybala will start after there were initially questions about his status. Dybala scored against Napoli off the bench in his return from injury and will be hungry to score again. And he’ll also want to remind people around the world that he is capable of leading this team without CR7. The link-up play between Dybala and Alvaro Morata will be vital to a Juventus victory.

Atalanta LM Robin Gosens

Robin Gosens is a man to watch for multiple reasons. Not only is he a Juventus transfer target, but Gosens is also one of the best players in Serie A. He is third on the team with nine goals and also has five assists to boot. Furthermore, the left-sided wide man is averaging 1.5 tackles per game and 1.4 interceptions per game, according to WhoScored.com.

There’s no doubt that Gosens’ energy and goal-scoring upside make him a threat to Juve defensively. Their entire right side must be on alert whenever Gosens is running at them.

Juventus GK Wojciech Szczesny

Wojciech Szczesny’s future at Juventus is not guaranteed, as the team continues to monitor Milan’s impending free agent keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. While it’s hard to envision the Bianconeri securing Donnarumma’s signature, it is a plausible move. Szczesny is still very good in goal, but Juve may see Donnarumma as both a short and long-term upgrade.

Each game is important for Szczesny. He must show that he can go above and beyond for the team in goal, and fans are still concerned after his horrible showing in the Derby della Mole. A few big saves against Atalanta’s electric attack, which features Duvan Zapata and Luis Muriel up top, would go a long way in boosting his stock.

Atalanta CM Ruslan Malinovsky

Ukrainian attacking-minded midfielder Ruslan Malinovsky is one of the most underrated players in all of European football. It feels like Atalanta have a lot of players who qualify as underrated, even their best players like Robin Gosens and Luis Muriel. But Malinovsky is an even bigger unknown to most fans, even though he is an excellent playmaker for Atalanta.

He’s stepped up even more with Papu Gomez now in Sevilla. So far this season, Malinovsky has eight assists, which leads the team. The 27-year-old has even chipped in with three goals and is a threat to score from distance. Finally, Malinovsky has 2.0 key passes per game, 1.4 dribbles completed per game, and 1.4 fouls drawn per game. Those are tremendous numbers, and Juventus’ midfield and central defense cannot give him too much space to pick them apart.

Juventus RM Juan Cuadrado

We finish with Colombian right-sided wide man Juan Cuadrado, who should have a battle for the ages against German international Robin Gosens. These two players are among the best in Serie A, as Cuadrado has provided 13 assists in all competitions, including one early last weekend in the win over Genoa.

Cuadrado is a good two-way player, but he should be in a more attacking role this Sunday. That means he can focus on providing crosses and creating for the forwards. He is the best source of scoring opportunities for the No. 7 and for the team as a whole. And Cuadrado may need to be highly efficient with his passing in order to ensure that Juventus can keep up with whatever fireworks Atalanta may bring in Bergamo.