AC Milan and Atalanta will meet in Serie A on Easter Sunday for a pivotal encounter in the race for European qualification. Remarkably, this will be the first time the two sides face each other on Easter in the top flight, with both hoping the occasion can provide the spark needed to boost their end-of-season ambitions.
Milan enter the fixture seeking to avoid losing both league meetings to Atalanta for the first time since the 2007–08 season. The Rossoneri fell to a 2–1 defeat in the reverse fixture last December and now face mounting pressure to collect points, with European qualification far from assured through their league standing. An alternative route remains in the Coppa Italia, where Milan will take on city rivals Inter in the second leg of the semi-final just days after this clash.
Manager Sérgio Conceição must find a way to refocus his squad, who have managed just one win in their last five competitive home matches. Defensive frailty has become a concern for the Rossoneri, who have kept just one clean sheet in their last eight home league fixtures—a stark contrast to the six clean sheets in seven such matches earlier in the campaign.
Atalanta, meanwhile, also have much to play for. Gian Piero Gasperini’s men come into the round in third place, though their position is under threat from Juventus. A win on Easter would be timely, especially after a confidence-boosting 2–0 victory over Bologna last weekend ended a three-match scoring drought. Remarkably, that result came from just four shots on goal—Atalanta’s joint-lowest total in a league match this season.
The Bergamo side’s away form had previously been a strong point, going 12 matches unbeaten on the road in Serie A before falling 1–0 at Fiorentina in their last away fixture. Another defeat on their travels would mark consecutive away losses for the second time this season, with the last such sequence beginning at San Siro in a loss to Inter Milan.
Both sides boast in-form individuals capable of shaping the outcome. Milan’s Tijjani Reijnders has made a habit of scoring important goals, netting the final goal in eight of his nine Serie A scoring appearances, including their recent win over Udinese. For Atalanta, Mateo Retegui made an instant impact last time out, scoring in the third minute against Bologna. All eight of his previous league goals came in away matches, often providing early breakthroughs.
A fascinating subplot is how both clubs have shown resilience when trailing. Prior to this round, only Bologna (17) had collected more points from losing positions than Milan (16) and Atalanta (15), underlining their fighting spirit.
As the season enters its decisive phase, Sunday’s encounter at San Siro could play a critical role in shaping the European aspirations of both clubs. For Milan, a return to form is essential. For Atalanta, a second straight away defeat could prove costly.
