Winning start to the Serie A campaign: 2-1 over Sassuolo

Atalanta’s league campaign gets off to a winning start. Maurizio Sarri’s Nerazzurri defeated Sassuolo 2-1 at the New Balance Arena in Bergamo on Matchday 1 of the 2026/27 Serie A Enilive season, with goals from Raspadori and Krstović sealing all three points.

The Nerazzurri made a bright start and broke the deadlock after just six minutes. Gaetano read the play perfectly to win the ball back in the final third before immediately threading it through to Raspadori, who controlled and unleashed a left-footed strike of stunning power and precision. The ball crashed off the underside of the crossbar and flew in beyond Muric to make it 1-0. Sassuolo responded in the 10th minute through Bowie, whose turning effort sailed well over the bar. Atalanta continued to threaten, though, and came within a whisker of doubling their lead shortly afterwards as Zalewski produced a brilliant solo run to go one-on-one with Muric, who managed to turn his effort behind for a corner. In the 18th minute, Scamacca did well to pick out Raspadori out wide, whose effort was blocked by a defender. Sassuolo retorted with Bakola's left-footer, wide to the side, before the Nerazzurri went close once again with Zappacosta, nicking the crossbar on 25 minutes. At the half-hour mark, Carnesecchi got down well to turn Laurienté’s effort behind before coming to the rescue again just 60 seconds later to rush off his line and deny Adzic, turning the ball behind for a corner. From the resulting set-piece, Bowie’s header failed to find the target. Late in the first half, Carnesecchi was called into action again, covering his near post well to deny Volpato’s effort from a tight angle.

Right after the restart, the Nerazzurri were back at it, nearly doubling their lead with Éderson, drawing out a key intervention from Muric. The visitors leveled the score in the 55th minute with Odenthal, nodding the ball in from a corner kick. On 60 minutes Sassuolo threatened once again with Laurienté, bursting through the middle but firing over, and then Matic, finishing wide. The Nerazzurri, however, restored their lead in the 65th with Krstović: a long ball forward by Carnesecchi found the Montenegrin, who won the duel with his marker before keeping his composure in front of Muric and finding the finish to make it 2-1. On 70 minutes Samardžić nearly made the third of the night with a powerful curler, grazing the post. Krstović was next to try his luck, firing a left-footed effort from the edge of the box narrowly wide. There was also time for new signing Elmas to make his Atalanta debut in the closing stages. On 82 minutes, Krstović threatened again after being played in behind by Samardžić, but Muric stood his ground and blocked the effort with his body. Sassuolo’s attempts in stoppage time came to nothing, as Atalanta saw out a 2-1 win at the New Balance Arena to open their Serie A campaign with all three points.

The team will resume preparations ahead of the 2nd leg of the UEFA Conference League play-offs on Tuesday with an afternoon drill in Zingonia.

ATALANTA 2-1 SASSUOLO

Scorers: Raspadori 6 (A), Odenthal 55 (S), Krstović 65 (A).

Atalanta: Carnesecchi, Kossounou, Pašalić (Samardžić 60), Scamacca (Krstović 60), Éderson, Raspadori (Elmas 81), Scalvini, Bernasconi (Kolašinac 71), Zalewski (De Ketelaere 60), Gaetano, Zappacosta. Unused Bench: Sportiello, Vismara, I. Sulemana, De Roon, Bellanova, Obrić, Cassa. Coach: Maurizio Sarri.

Sassuolo: Muric, Doig, Volpato, Bowie, Adzic (Thorstvedt 64), Matic (Dominguez 74), Odenthal, Macchioni (Leysen 74), Laurienté, Cinquegrano, Bakola. Unused Bench: Turati, Missori, Ghion, Kulla, Ciervo, Idzes, Di Bitonto, Nuamah, Obrador, Lipani, Iannoni, Pierini. Coach: Alberto Aquilani.

Referee: Valerio Crezzini from Siena;
Assistant referees: Filippo Meli from Parma and Domenico Fontemurato from Roma 2;
Fourth official: Luca Pairetto from Nichelino;
V.A.R.: Antonio Giua from Olbia;
A.V.A.R.: Lorenzo Maggioni from Lecco.

Notes: Added time: 1 minute (1st half), 5 minutes (2nd half)