Monza v Atalanta, the brainteaser

Final push kicks off on the road for Atalanta, ushering in May in Brianza for the first of the four crunch-time clashes shaping up the Nerazzurri’s endgame. First stop: the U-Power Stadium in Monza, the stage for the first away hurdle in the build-up to a textbook grand finale, with the curtain set to fall in style at the Gewiss Stadium, cheered on by the home faithful.

How many goals did Daniel Maldini score for Monza?

Not only one of the former players set to feature on Sunday but foremost the latest one to have made the trip between Monza and Bergamo, Daniel Maldini will be in for a touch of nostalgia on MD35: due to his two seasons spent in Brianza, this weekend marks an homecoming of sorts for the Nerazzurri no. 70, just over three months after his switch for the Brianzoli. But let's get down to business, how does he stack up in the goal-scoring department compared to the other exes involved?

Starting off from the wooden spoon, Roberto Gagliardini is the one anchoring the list: born and bred in Zingonia, the former Atalanta graduate has etched his name on the shoresheet only once ever since joining Monza in the 2023/24 season after his stint at Inter.

Third place goes to Andrea Petagna! After two seasons in Bergamo, the Trieste-born forward became a Brianteo after his stops in Ferrara and Naples and has found the net 5 times thus far.

Before putting the question to bed, let's shine the light on the final former-Nerazzurro-turned-Brianteo, Matteo Pessina: an Atalanta player for three non-consecutive seasons (namely the 2018/19 campaign and then the 2020-2022 spell), the current Bagaj skipper boasts a tally of 12 goals in Monza colours.

Which brings us to second place in the chart and man of the hour Daniel Maldini: during his stay in Brianza, he bagged 7 goals, including one notable strike against against what would have become his future club. Id est, the goal that pulled one back for the hosts in last season's return fixture (highlights available below).

Which side has the upper hand in Brianza?

When it comes to Monza vs Atalanta at the Brianteo, the term "balance sheet" couldn't be more literal: considering the 16 encounters held thus far in Brianza across all competition, not only is the head-to-head perfectly level in terms of outcomes (with 5 wins apiece and 6 remaining draws), but also in terms of goals scored, with the haul being locked to 19 each.

If the overall picture reflects a true "balance of power" policy, how do things shift when broken down by competition?

While Atalanta have the upper hand in Serie A, winning all three top-flight meetings without a blemish, Monza hold the sway in Serie B, having notched 4 home victories to the Nerazzurri's 2. Rounding things off with the Serie C (only one encounter, dating back to the 1981/82 campaign and culminating in a goalless draw) and the Coppa Italia (one win each), balance is once again the name of the game.

Each Atalanta goal in Monza came from a different scorer?

As mentioned above, Atalanta have scored 19 goals in Monza. Nineteen strikes that, despite being spread across not only different "eras" but a wide variety of competitions as well (from the Serie A to the Coppa Italia with the Italian second tier and Serie C in between), all share one trait d'union: which one?

Each goal was scored by a different Atalanta player!

Unlike matches played in Bergamo, where multiple-goal hauls are more rule than exception with 4 braces (scored by, in chronological order, from Scala, Magrin, Caccia, and Scamacca) and Koopmeiners' hat-trick, no Nerazzurro has managed to bag more than a single goal thus far.