Monza 1-2 Atalanta: De Ketelaere the hero in pre-season comeback

Charles De Ketelaere scored a late winner as Atalanta earned a 2-1 victory over Monza in their penultimate pre-season friendly on Wednesday.

De Ketelaere struck the decisive blow eight minutes from time, combining well with El Bilal Toure before finishing at the near post.

Atalanta named a strong line-up to take on their fellow Serie A opponents, but one notable absentee was striker Ademola Lookman, who has been linked with a move to Inter.

Lookman has reportedly failed to turn up to training for the last three days, with Atalanta believed to have rejected Inter’s initial bid of €45m.

On the pitch, Ivan Juric’s side found themselves behind in the 14th minute when Samuele Birindelli tucked home from inside the penalty area.

But Giorgio Scalvini restored parity with 69 minutes on the clock with a fine header that cannoned off the crossbar on its way into the back of the net.

And the victory was sealed shortly after by De Ketelaere, with Atalanta now preparing for their final pre-season test against Cologne before their Serie A opener on August 24.

FULL-TIME #AtalantaMonza finisce 2-1 #GoAtalantaGo pic.twitter.com/eY2tUHX6Ot

— Atalanta B.C. (@Atalanta_BC) August 6, 2025

Data Debrief: De Ketelaere’s chance to shine?

With Lookman’s future at Atalanta uncertain and the loss of last season’s top scorer Mateo Retegui to Al-Qadsiah, De Ketelaere could be the answer to his team’s problems in the final third ahead of the 2025-26 campaign.

Only Retegui (37) and Lookman (26) had more goal involvements across all competitions last season than De Ketelaere (25) for Atalanta, and he showcased against Monza his ability to affect games, having only been introduced in the 61st minute here.

This season could also present a chance for Bilal Toure to make a name for himself after netting three goals in 17 appearances in all competitions during his loan spell with Stuttgart in 2024-25 before a metatarsal fracture cut his campaign short.