Feyenoord vs Atalanta: prediction and odds

Feyenoord will play their final pre-season friendly before the new campaign against Atalanta, a side beginning a new chapter under Maurizio Sarri. Notably, the Rotterdam club have won only one of their last seven meetings with Serie A opposition.

Tactical Analysis: Feyenoord – Stronger in Attack Than Defence

Feyenoord finished second in the Eredivisie last season and qualified for the Champions League, yet they still parted ways with Robin van Persie. The new man in charge is another club legend, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, who previously managed the team from 2015 to 2019 and led them to the title. The Dutch league kicks off next week, so Feyenoord began their pre-season much earlier than their current opponents and have already played four friendlies, winning all of them.

Among the teams they have beaten are some serious sides: reigning Belgian champions Club Brugge (3-1) and 2025/26 Conference League finalists Rayo Vallecano (2-1, played in four 30-minute periods). Even with heavy rotation and the active involvement of young players, the red-white-blacks have shown an attractive counter-attacking style. Their physical condition is also noteworthy – they have scored six goals after the 75th minute.

However, Feyenoord’s defence has not been particularly reliable, and in each of their last three friendlies they have conceded at least one goal. The main reason is the absence of four defenders and strong defensive midfielder Jakub Moder due to injury. The Belgian Charles Vanhoutt, bought from Nice, is supposed to replace Moder but is struggling to adapt. Meanwhile, former Las Palmas centre-back Mika Mármol is better at supporting his team’s attacks than breaking up opposition moves. Another new signing, centre-forward Nacho Ferri, has yet to register a goal or assist.

Tactical Analysis: Atalanta – A Sharp Change of Style

Raffaele Palladino managed to pull Atalanta out of the crisis Ivan Jurić had plunged them into and even secured a Conference League spot. However, the club’s management was still not satisfied with the young coach’s work and instead brought in veteran tactician Maurizio Sarri this summer. This marks a definitive shift away from the man-marking pressing system that Gian Piero Gasperini had instilled for years. Sarri preaches a completely different philosophy: dominance through possession, drawing the opponent out, and creating rhythm with quick passing.

Apart from a match against their own reserves (2-1), Sarri’s Atalanta have played only one friendly so far, beating Serie B newcomers Arezzo 3-2. The experienced coach used two completely different line-ups in each half, and we expect a similar approach against Feyenoord. Interestingly, the substitutes who came on after the break performed much better than the starters, turning a two-goal deficit into a final victory.

Atalanta have not been very active in the transfer market. Their only signing this window so far is central midfielder Gianluca Gaetano – a Napoli youth product who has spent a long time on loan. That can hardly be called a squad upgrade; the best the 26-year-old can hope for at a club like Atalanta is a place on the bench. Especially since his direct competitor, Brazilian Éderson, has not left for Manchester United and instead extended his contract – the best news for the Nerazzurri fans this summer.

Predicted Lineups

Feyenoord (4-3-3): Ernst – Read, Mármol, Saint-Juste, Lotomba – Valente, Vanhoutt, Zechiël – Borges, Ferri, S. van Persie

Unavailable: Bos, Small, Nieuwkoop, Bijlow, Moder (all injured)

Head coach: Giovanni van Bronckhorst

Atalanta (4-2-3-1): Carnesecchi – Zappacosta, Djimsiti, Scalvini, Bernasconi – Sulemana, De Roon – Samardžić, Raspadori, Zalewski – Scamacca

Unavailable: Hien (injured), De Ketelaere (not in squad)

Head coach: Maurizio Sarri

Prediction and Bet

Main prediction: Feyenoord not to lose @ 1.76

In this match, Feyenoord are unjustly considered heavy underdogs, and we suggest taking advantage of that. The hosts at De Kuip are in good physical shape because their first match of the 2026/27 season is just a week away. In contrast, most of Atalanta’s key players looked very heavy and out of rhythm in the first half of their last friendly against Arezzo. Moreover, Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s straightforward counter-attacking football has worked perfectly in all of the Dutch side’s summer friendlies. Sarri, on the other hand, will need plenty of time to fully change Atalanta’s style. We back Feyenoord not to lose at odds of 1.76.

Total prediction: Over 3.5 goals @ 2.33

Feyenoord have been playing bright, high-scoring football this summer. Three of their four friendlies have seen at least four goals. Atalanta, together with Arezzo, treated the few spectators to five goals in their last outing. So it makes sense to also consider total over 3.5 goals with a coefficient of 2.33.