Atalanta the biggest underdog of 2025-26 Champions League RO16

Serie A side Atalanta aren’t only the only Italian club still involved in the Champions League, but also the biggest underdog to win the title.

Atalanta progressed to the Champions League Round of 16 by beating Borussia Dortmund in the knockout play-off.

La Dea came back from two goals down in the second leg to beat the Germans 4-3 on aggregate, thanks to a 4-1 win in the second leg in Bergamo.

Bettors using online casino platforms highlight that the Nerazzurri hold the longest to win the Champions League, making them the least likely contenders to lift Europe’s coveted trophy.

Atalanta will meet Bayern Munich in the Round of 16, and, on the other hand, the Bavarians are among the top three favourites to win the Champions League, alongside Arsenal and title holders PSG. Atalanta’s task is even harder, as they’ll face Manchester City or Real Madrid if they progress to the quarter-finals.

Atalanta understand the magnitude of the challenge they face, as their director, Umberto Marino, recently said.

“We’ll try to make life difficult for Bayern. We must be Atalanta as we’ve always been, facing them with courage, determination and the fans’ support,” Marino said after the Champions League Round of 16 draw in Nyon at the end of February.

“It’s a tough game, and we’ll need an extraordinary performance, but we play with Atalanta’s enthusiasm, which helped us reach the Champions League Round of 16, a unique objective.

“We’ll play it with the support of our fans, at home and away, because we need them. Then we’ll see what happens on the pitch.”

Atalanta might be the underdogs against Bayern, but La Dea has already shocked some German heavyweights, such as Borussia Dortmund in the previous Champions League round and Bayer Leverkusen in the 2024 Europa League Final.

Atalanta look reborn under new coach Raffaele Palladino, who was appointed in November to replace the disappointing Ivan Juric.

“We achieved a comeback that will stay in the history books,” Palladino said after beating Borussia Dortmund.

“We’re so happy, I want to thank every single player, those who were on the field, on the bench, in the stands, my staff, the President Antonio Percassi, the directors, and all the fans.

“There were 23,000 people pushing us from start to finish this evening, they created a unique atmosphere in our stadium.

“It was probably the best game I ever experienced in my coaching career, and it will remain in my mind forever. This club deserves this incredible satisfaction.”