As Atalanta ushered in the new year, their fortunes took a turn for the worse with their early victories in the Champions League's initial stages are a silver lining, given their current performance which could make upcoming matches more challenging to conquer.
The harsh reality is that Atalanta's victory column remains empty this year, despite participating in three Italian Serie A matches and a cup game. It's worth noting, however, that they've recently locked horns with three of Italy's top contenders. Inter, Napoli and Juventus have all tested Atalanta's mettle, and even their supposedly less challenging match against Udinese didn't result in a win. La Dea is banking on their impressive home record to secure their spot in the tournament's next phase as they sit just two points from the top eight places in the group stage.
Meanwhile, Sturm Graz have had a month-long break, but it would be mistaken to think they've been idling away. The Austrian Bundesliga is in its winter hiatus, meaning the team hasn't participated in an official match since early December. Nonetheless, they've kept busy with four friendly matches within the past 10 days - a detail not to be overlooked.
Regrettably, Sturm Graz's prospects of advancing to the Champions League's next stage are slim to none. They require two clear-cut victories and a hefty dose of luck - hoping their direct competitors fail to win any matches having picked up only one win and five defeats so far in the group stages.
