Atalanta face second injury blow with Matteo Pessina ruled out

Manchester United’s upcoming Champions League opponents Atalanta have been hit by another injury blow.

Earlier this week we reported how winger Robin Gosens has been ruled out of the United matches with Tuttomercatoweb stating he faces two months on the sidelines.

Now he is set to be joined by attacking midfielder Matteo Pessina.

Atalanta v BSC Young Boys: Group F - UEFA Champions League — (Photo by Francesco Scaccianoce/LiveMedia/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Pessina scored the winning goal for Atalanta against Young Boys at the end of September to send them to the top of the group.

But he was stretchered off against AC Milan in the Serie A clash last Sunday.

Pessina had to pull out of the Italy squad over the international break.

Now newspaper L’Eco Di Bergamo report Pessina faces one and a half months on the sidelines.

This would rule the 24-year-old midfielder out of the two matches with Manchester United, due to be held on October 16 and November 2.

Pessina has four goals in 11 matches for Italy and he had featured in eight games for Atalanta to start the season.

Double blow but United without players too

Atalanta’s double blow benefits United in the scrap to finish in the top two in a very competitive group so far, where all four teams are separated by just two points after two games.

But United are without a couple of players too. Aaron Wan-Bissaka is facing a second game of suspension unless an appeal is successful.

Harry Maguire is on course to miss the first game against Atalanta at least.

There are never any guarantees in the Champions League and Atalanta make for a seriously tricky tactical test for United whoever lines up in their starting XI.

It’s certainly true though that they are a little less threatening without Gosens and Pessina available.