View from the opposition: Atalanta

There are six games to play this season. Can you give us your take on Atalanta's campaign as a whole?

"It's been pretty positive, in that the aim at the start of the year was to stay up and Edy Reja's side have spent the entire season comfortably in mid-table and have never got sucked into the basement battle. A closer look tells us the first half of the campaign exceeded even the most optimistic predictions, with La Dea sitting 11th at the halfway stage on 24 points. The team lost the plot early on in 2016, going the best part of three months without a win, before responding well in the last month with home victories over Bologna and AC Milan. At this stage, with an eight-point cushion over the relegation zone, I'd say Atalanta are all but safe and I'd rate their season as a decent 7/10."

Which of the new signings have impressed? Conversely, who has failed to make an impact?

"The real success story has been Marten de Roon, who joined from Heerenveen for a small fee and has doubled his market value following a great season for the Nerazzurri. The Dutch midfielder has good positional sense, great defensive ability, can build from the back and has a decent engine. He's been the most pleasant surprise from among the new faces. I'd also like to mention Andrea Conti - a defender who's come through the Atalanta youth set-up - who is having an excellent second half to the season and starts for the Italy Under-21 side. As for those who have underperformed or at least those from whom we'd expect better, I'd put Mauricio Pinilla top of the list. He joined in January 2015 but this term he hasn't supplied the goals we became accustomed to with German Denis in previous years."

Who has been Atalanta's player of the season?

"Marco Sportiello, without a shadow of a doubt. He's one of the best goalkeepers in the country. He and AC Milan's Gianluigi Donnarumma will take over from Gianluigi Buffon one day. Sportiello has everything. He's tall, mentally strong and agile. He has impressed ever since his debut against Sassuolo in the Coppa Italia two years ago, leaving everyone amazed by how solid he is out there. He has a very bright future ahead of him."

What's been Atalanta's best performance of the season and why?

“Although they lost, I'd say Atalanta's best display of the campaign in terms of the football they played was the opening day of the season against Inter. Atalanta were brilliant that day at San Siro, producing a first-rate performance, particularly because they played the last quarter of the match a man light. They in no way deserved to lose, with the winner coming in stoppage time courtesy of a Stevan Jovetic goal."

What has been the worst performance of the season and what went wrong?

"I don't want to mention a specific game, rather a whole period, spanning 13 December to 13 March, three months exactly in which Atalanta failed to win. They played badly and were really sluggish throughout that time. They picked up the small number of eight defeats and six draws during that drought."

We're coming towards the end of the season. Which area of the pitch has performed best for Atalanta over the last eight months?

"It has to be the defence, who - aside from the nightmare run I've just referred to - have played well. 38 goals conceded from 32 matches gives Atalanta the 10th best backline in the division. La Dea should start with a more than respectable back five against Roma, with Sportiello in goal, Gabriel Paletta and Rafael Toloi at centre back and Andrea Masiello and Boukary Drame at full-back."

What have you made of Roma under Luciano Spalletti?

"Mine is a favourable assessment given that Spalletti has had a positive impact on everything since he took over, in terms of football and player motivation. Unsurprisingly he's also got some great results. The coach seems to have a magic wand as he's barely got anything wrong thus far, he's got Roma back on track and I don't now see them struggling to finish in the Champions League places come the end of the season. I'm a big fan of the way the Giallorossi are playing at the moment. Hats off to the club who made a great choice to replace Rudi Garcia."

Which Roma player should Atalanta fans be most wary of?

"I think the Nerazzurri should fear the entire Giallorossi front line, be it Mohamed Salah, Stephan El Shaarawy, Edin Dzeko, Diego Perotti or Francesco Totti. I think Roma have one of the best attacks in Europe, they're frightening."

If you could take one Roma player for the Atalanta squad, who would you choose and why?

"As I've said, Reja's team lack a finisher in front of goal, a role previously performed by Denis who's now on the wane. I'd therefore go with Edin Dzeko without a doubt, he's an excellent centre forward and does his job well. The Bosnian would guarantee at least 15 goals a season for Atalanta, a figure the team are currently lacking."

How do you see tomorrow's game going?

"Although Atalanta will go out to play their own game, Roma clearly start as favourites. The Nerazzurri are missing a host of players in midfield, like Luca Cigarini, Alessandro Diamanti and Marten de Roon and the gulf in class is clear to see. So, short of miracles, I'll go with 3-1 to Roma."