Brilliant Atalanta face Milan test with top spot and record run in sight

Europa League winners Atalanta will hope to continue beating the odds when they welcome AC Milan in Serie A on Friday, a clash that could see them move top and equal club's record winning streak.

Second-placed Atalanta kept up with their stellar campaign when they won 2-0 at AS Roma on Monday, extending their impressive winning run to eight league games.

That streak included a 3-0 win at leaders Napoli, whom they now trail by one point.

But a challenging start to December will continue for Gian Piero Gasperini's side when they host the 19-time Italian champions Milan, four days before welcoming European Cup holders Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday.

If they manage to beat seventh-placed Milan, Atalanta will equal their longest, nine-game winning run in Serie A, a record set in 2020.

That feat would require them to overcome Milan in back-to-back home league games only for the second time, after they managed doing so between November 2006 and January 2008.

However, anything seems possible for in-form Atalanta, who have gathered 31 points after 14 games played for the first time since the introduction of 'three-points-for-a-win' era.

Milan, meanwhile, won only two of their last five Serie A games as they sit four points outside of the European spots with a game in hand.

NAPOLI BACK ON TRACK

Table-topping Napoli overcame their recent setbacks when they claimed a 1-0 home win over Roma on November 24, and maintained the momentum last weekend at Torino with the same scoreline.

The two victories came after Antonio Conte's side suffered a 3-0 home defeat by Atalanta, followed by a 1-1 draw at Inter Milan earlier in November.

They can now prove they are fully back on track when they host fifth-placed Lazio on Sunday, three days after the duo face off in Coppa Italia last 16 in Rome.

"Napoli are deservedly first in the standings and we want to do well," said Lazio coach Marco Baroni before they meet the 2023 champions.

Europa League leaders Lazio, who are level on 28 points with third-placed Inter and fourth-placed Fiorentina in the league standings, have enjoyed a good form themselves recently.

However, their run of five consecutive Serie A wins was snapped by a 3-1 defeat at mid-table Parma last time out, days after their all-winning European campaign was marred by a goalless home draw against Ludogorets Razgrad.

Sixth-placed Juventus remain the only unbeaten side in the Italian top flight, and they will look to maintain that when they face visiting Bologna, in eighth, on Saturday.

Inter will hope for a relaxed evening at San Siro on Friday when they welcome Parma.

Parma, who got promoted last season after winning Serie B, have three wins so far in the campaign – but two of them came in their last three games.