Practice makes perfect:

Manchester City players taking part in a training session at the City Football Academy in Manchester, England, yesterday. City face Atalanta in the Champions League Group C match today. — AFP

Gian Piero Gasperini warned that psychology will be key as Italian newcomers Atalanta look to avoid another huge defeat at the hands of Champions League rivals Manchester City in Milan today.

The Premier League champions can seal their ticket to the knockout rounds with a win over Atalanta, who have lost all three Group C games in their first ever foray into the elite European competition.

Man City are top of their group with maximum nine points and 10 goals scored, with the Bergamo side bottom after conceding 11 goals conceded and scoring just two.

Five of those came last time out, when an 11-minute Raheem Sterling hattrick helped City to a 5-1 win in Manchester.

“The psychological aspect will be fundamental,” said Gasperini.

“It’s a tight turnaround, but we’ll prepare as best we can.”

Atalanta hit back in Serie A days later with a 7-1 demolition of lowly Udinese, but they have felt the absence of star Colombian striker Duvan Zapata, who has been out with a thigh injury picked up on international duty last month.

Without him Atalanta have slipped from third to fifth in Serie A, eight points behind leaders Juventus after a 2-0 defeat to Cagliari at the weekend.

Juventus, Inter Milan and Napoli are used to measuring themselves against the European elite, but Atalanta’s only trophy was the Italian Cup back in 1963.

Atalanta can still theoretically reach the last 16.

And their ‘home’ game will be at the San Siro, 56km from Bergamo, deemed more suitable by UEFA than their 21,000-seater Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia.

But the odds are stacked as they take on City, who are second in the Premier League and on a run of 10 wins from their last 11 matches in all competitions. — AFP