Giacomo Raspadori will miss at least three weeks with a first-degree hamstring strain, ruling him out of both Champions League play-off legs against Borussia Dortmund and casting doubt over Italy selection for the World Cup play-offs. Betting impact: expect Atalanta goal markets to be trimmed—consider backing Dortmund or Under 2.5 goals in the first leg and avoiding Raspadori in anytime scorer markets.
Raspadori sidelined with hamstring strain, Atalanta hit ahead of Dortmund tie
Giacomo Raspadori has suffered a first-degree hamstring strain and faces a minimum three-week layoff, ruling him out of both Champions League play-off legs against Borussia Dortmund. Head coach Raffaele Palladino confirmed the injury as a significant setback for Atalanta, which is already coping without Charles De Ketelaere.
Injury details and recovery timeline
Medical assessments point to a first-degree hamstring tear, with a conservative timetable of at least three weeks before a return to full training. That window removes Raspadori from the February 17 trip to Dortmund and the February 25 return in Bergamo, and will also keep him out of upcoming domestic fixtures including the trip to Naples and the Coppa Italia semi first leg on March 4.
Immediate impact on Champions League play-off strategy
Losing Raspadori deprives Atalanta of a forward prized for pace, movement and clinical finishing. Tactical tweaks are likely as Palladino reshuffles the attack for two crucial European matches. From a betting perspective, expect markets to react: Dortmund win and aggregate markets may shorten, while Under 2.5 goals and conservative Atalanta scoring forecasts become more attractive to punters.
Implications for Italy and World Cup play-offs
Raspadori’s absence places his availability for Italy’s World Cup play-off semi on March 26 in doubt. That forces national team selection headaches and could alter Italy’s attacking setup if he’s unavailable, pushing other forwards into more prominent roles.
Squad options and monitoring
Atalanta will monitor recovery closely and likely explore internal and tactical solutions in the short term. Coaches will assess fitness progress ahead of each fixture before confirming any return dates, with selection decisions influenced by how Raspadori’s rehab advances in the coming weeks.
Palladino: ‘Atalanta showed maturity, we wanted Raspadori at all costs’
Giacomo Raspadori faces a significant setback after picking up a first-degree hamstring strain during Atalanta BC’s clash with Lazio.The injury, sustained late in the match, is expected to sideline ...
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