AS Roma welcome Atalanta to the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday, September 5, 2026, for Matchday 3 of Serie A. Kickoff is scheduled for 20:45 CEST.
Both teams have started the league with maximum points. Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma have been particularly impressive, beating Fiorentina and Lecce 4-0 to score eight goals without conceding. Atalanta defeated Sassuolo 2-1 and Bologna 1-0 under new coach Maurizio Sarri.
The fixture also carries an obvious managerial subplot. Gasperini faces the club he coached for nine years, while Sarri is attempting to reshape Atalanta around a more possession-oriented approach. Recent head-to-head history favors the visitors, making this the strongest test of Roma's excellent start so far.
Read Also: Liverpool Sign Bradley Barcola From PSG in Deal Worth Up to £123m
Head-to-Head Summary
Across the last 10 Serie A meetings:
AS Roma wins: 2
Atalanta wins: 6
Draws: 2
Roma goals: 10
Atalanta goals: 14
Atalanta are unbeaten in the last eight meetings, winning six and drawing two since Roma's 1-0 victory at the Olimpico in March 2022. That is the most important historical trend.
Roma's current form is considerably stronger than in many of those previous encounters, but Gasperini must still find a way to overcome a matchup that has consistently favored Atalanta.
Last 10 Meetings
The most recent league meetings are:
April 18, 2026: AS Roma 1-1 Atalanta
January 3, 2026: Atalanta 1-0 AS Roma
May 12, 2025: Atalanta 2-1 AS Roma
December 2, 2024: AS Roma 0-2 Atalanta
May 12, 2024: Atalanta 2-1 AS Roma
January 7, 2024: AS Roma 1-1 Atalanta
April 24, 2023: Atalanta 3-1 AS Roma
September 18, 2022: AS Roma 0-1 Atalanta
March 5, 2022: AS Roma 1-0 Atalanta
December 18, 2021: Atalanta 1-4 AS Roma
Most of these games have been competitive rather than one-sided. Six of the last eight were either draws or decided by a single goal. Atalanta's success has largely come from managing decisive moments better. Roma have often had periods of possession against them without consistently turning that control into enough goals.
AS Roma Current Form
Roma are one of Serie A's early standout teams. Their last five league results are:
Lecce 0-4 AS Roma
AS Roma 4-0 Fiorentina
Verona 0-2 AS Roma
AS Roma 2-0 Lazio
Parma 2-3 AS Roma
That is five consecutive victories, with 15 goals scored and only two conceded. The new season has been even cleaner statistically: eight goals scored, two wins and two clean sheets.
Donyell Malen has been central to the attacking improvement. He scored a hat-trick against Fiorentina and followed it with two more goals at Lecce, giving him five Serie A goals after only two matches.
Roma have also looked comfortable controlling games. They had more than 60% possession against both Fiorentina and Lecce while still creating enough penetration to make that possession meaningful.
Read Also: Chelsea Sign Emiliano Martinez From Aston Villa on Three-Year Deal
Atalanta Current Form
Atalanta have also started well. Their last five competitive matches are:
Atalanta 1-0 Bologna
Hapoel Tel Aviv 0-1 Atalanta
Atalanta 2-1 Sassuolo
Atalanta 0-0 Hapoel Tel Aviv
Fiorentina 1-1 Atalanta
That gives Sarri's side three wins and two draws, with five goals scored and only two conceded. Their early strength has been defensive stability rather than high scoring. Atalanta beat Sassuolo through goals from Giacomo Raspadori and Nikola Krstović before needing a 96th-minute Lazar Samardžić winner against Bologna.
They also progressed through their Conference League play-off against Hapoel Tel Aviv without conceding across the two legs. Roma therefore face an opponent that has yet to lose a competitive game this season.
AS Roma Team News and Injuries
Lorenzo Pellegrini is not yet ready to return. Gasperini confirmed that the midfielder has started working partly with the group but suggested a competitive return is more likely against Inter or after the international break.
There is better news around Evan Ndicka. The defender has improved considerably after his recent concern, and Gasperini indicated he expects him to be able to play. Paulo Dybala also underwent tests after a fitness concern, but they showed no significant problem. His involvement will depend on how comfortable he feels after returning to training.
Matías Soulé is fully recovered from his previous groin issue. Roma have also added former Atalanta captain Marten de Roon and defender Leonardo Balerdi, although Gasperini has indicated that the newest arrivals still need time to reach peak condition.
Read Also: Champions League Squad Registration Deadline: What Clubs Must Decide for 2026-27
Atalanta Team News and Injuries
Atalanta have named a 23-player squad for Rome. Isak Hien and Kamaldeen Sulemana are unavailable and will continue their respective treatment programmes. Sarri otherwise has a strong group available.
Giorgio Scalvini, Sead Kolašinac and Odilon Kossounou provide defensive options, while the midfield contains Éderson, Franck Kessié, Mario Pašalić and Samardžić.
Atalanta's attacking choices include Raspadori, Krstović, Gianluca Scamacca, Charles De Ketelaere and Jonathan Rowe. That depth gives Sarri several ways to change the game if his initial approach does not work.
Tactical Match Analysis
This is an intriguing clash because the managers approach possession differently. Gasperini's Roma are built around aggression, forward movement and pressure after losing the ball. Their opening two games have shown how quickly they can turn territorial control into chances.
Malen's movement is especially important. He can threaten behind the defensive line but is also comfortable moving away from the centre, allowing Soulé, Dybala or Rodrigo Mora to attack the spaces he creates. Atalanta cannot allow Roma to repeatedly recover possession close to their penalty area.
Sarri's challenge is to use the ball well enough to play through that pressure. His Atalanta side is becoming increasingly comfortable with longer periods of possession. Éderson and Kessié provide physical strength, while Samardžić and Raspadori can create between midfield and attack.
The visitors may also find opportunities when Roma commit players forward. Gasperini's teams are naturally aggressive, which can leave space behind the wing-backs. Atalanta have enough technical quality to exploit those areas if they beat the first press.
The midfield battle should therefore be decisive. Roma want the game played at a high tempo; Atalanta may benefit from slowing it down and forcing the hosts to defend longer possession sequences.
Key Players to Watch
1. Donyell Malen
Five goals in Roma's first two league matches make Malen impossible to ignore. Atalanta must prevent him from receiving the ball repeatedly inside or around the penalty area.
2. Matías Soulé
Soulé scored at Lecce and gives Roma creativity between the lines. His ability to move inside from wider areas can create overloads around Atalanta's midfield.
3. Lazar Samardžić
Samardžić delivered the decisive moment against Bologna with his stoppage-time winner. His shooting and passing make him dangerous whenever he finds space around the edge of the box.
4. Éderson
Éderson's ability to win duels and carry the ball through pressure could be vital against Roma's aggressive midfield. Atalanta need him to help turn defensive recoveries into controlled attacks.
What the Numbers Tell Us
The most useful statistics point in different directions:
Atalanta have won six of the last 10 Serie A meetings.
Roma have won two, with two draws.
Atalanta are unbeaten in the last eight H2Hs.
Roma have won their last five Serie A matches.
Roma have scored 15 goals and conceded only two during that run.
Roma have opened 2026/27 with eight goals and two clean sheets.
Atalanta have won both league matches this season.
Atalanta are unbeaten in five competitive games this season and have conceded only twice.
Both teams enter with six Serie A points from six available.
The H2H record favors Atalanta. Current attacking form favors Roma. That contrast is what makes the matchup particularly interesting.
Who Has the Advantage?
The evidence gives AS Roma a slight current advantage, mainly because of their home venue and exceptional early-season form. Scoring eight goals without conceding across two league matches is a significant statement, and Malen's form gives Gasperini a reliable finishing threat.
However, Atalanta's recent record against Roma prevents this from being considered a clear home advantage. They have gone eight H2Hs without defeat and arrive in Rome unbeaten in all five competitive matches this season.
A draw is therefore a very realistic outcome. Atalanta's defensive record suggests they can limit Roma more effectively than Fiorentina or Lecce did, while Roma's own defensive form makes it difficult to give the visitors a clear edge. Current momentum narrowly favors the hosts, but there is little between the teams.
Conclusion
AS Roma vs Atalanta is the first major examination of two perfect Serie A starts. Roma have been more spectacular, scoring four goals against both Fiorentina and Lecce while keeping consecutive clean sheets. Malen's five goals have given Gasperini's attack an immediate cutting edge.
Atalanta have been less prolific but equally effective. Two league wins, successful Conference League qualification and only two goals conceded across five competitive matches show that Sarri's team already possesses strong defensive control.
Recent history remains the strongest argument for the visitors: Roma have not beaten Atalanta in eight meetings. Even so, Roma's current attacking form and home advantage give them a slight statistical edge, with Atalanta's H2H dominance and defensive strength making a draw a highly credible outcome.