The Month Ahead: August
Friendlies, Trofeo Bortolotti, Conference League and Serie A: the road back starts with seven games
From the final pre-season tests to the first competitive 90 minutes, the wait is finally over: August officially raises the curtain on the 2026/27 season. Between friendlies, Serie A and the UEFA Conference League, seven fixtures will accompany Atalanta's back to business.
It all gets underway on Sunday 2 August, as Atalanta travel to the Netherlands to take on Feyenoord. After putting in the hard yards on the training pitches in Clusone and Zingonia, Maurizio Sarri's men face their first international test of pre-season. Kick-off is at 15:00 CEST in Rotterdam, where the curtain will rise on a packed August schedule.
While there will be no football on the pitch, 3 August promises to be a landmark day in Atalanta's history. After a summer shaped by the qualifying rounds, the draw for the UEFA Conference League play-offs will take place, introducing the Nerazzurri to the only European competition they have yet to experience. From 14:00 CEST, the draw will determine both Atalanta's opponents and whether their continental journey will begin in Bergamo or on the road.
After their trip to the Netherlands, the Nerazzurri head to Gelsenkirchen for another stern test. On Saturday 8 August, Atalanta take on Schalke 04, with kick-off scheduled for 17:00 CEST.
Following back-to-back away friendlies, it will be time to return home. After the summer break, the New Balance Arena will reopen its doors for the 27th Trofeo Achille e Cesare Bortolotti. On Friday 14 August (20:45 CEST), Athletic Club will be the guests of honour for the traditional fixture held in memory of Atalanta's historic presidents, providing the Nerazzurri with their final dress rehearsal before competitive action begins.
Once the curtain falls on the Bortolotti Trophy, the countdown will be all but over. Thursday 20 August brings Atalanta's first competitive fixture of the 2026/27 campaign, as the opening leg of the UEFA Conference League play-offs kicks off a two-legged tie with a place in the League Phase at stake.
The European opener is quickly followed by the return of Serie A. On Sunday 23 August, Sassuolo will provide the first league test of the season at the New Balance Arena, with kick-off at 20:45 CEST.
Four days later, on Thursday 27 August, the Nerazzurri return to the continental stage for the decisive second leg of their UEFA Conference League play-off.
August draws to a close with another night under the lights in Bergamo. Following the visit of Sassuolo, Atalanta welcome another Emilia-Romagna side, Bologna, to the New Balance Arena on Monday 31 August (20:45 CEST), as the two sides meet in the Serie A Matchday 2 Monday-night fixture.