Atalanta Stars Doubtful for Conference League Playoff Matches Against Hapoel Tel Aviv

Hapoel Tel Aviv is set to face Atalanta next week in the playoff round of the UEFA Conference League qualifiers. Although Hapoel Tel Aviv is considered a clear underdog, Atalanta may be weakened by injuries to two key players ahead of the crucial two-legged tie. Atalanta’s star forward Charles De Ketelaere and defender Honest Ahenor both suffered muscle strains during training, putting their participation in doubt for the matches against Hapoel Tel Aviv and the start of the Italian Serie A season.

De Ketelaere, valued at approximately 35 million euros, is notable for scoring against Spain in the recent World Cup and contributing goals and assists against the United States. Ahenor, an 18-year-old defender worth around 30 million euros, has already made two appearances for the senior Italian national team. Both players are expected to require about ten days to recover, which casts significant uncertainty over their availability for the first leg against Hapoel Tel Aviv.

Atalanta is currently finalizing preparations for the new season and will play a final friendly against Athletic Bilbao, where both injured players will be absent. Should De Ketelaere and Ahenor miss the playoff matches, Hapoel Tel Aviv could face a less formidable Atalanta squad, potentially narrowing the quality gap between the teams.