Atalanta forward Charles De Ketelaere has picked up a pre-season injury that leaves him doubtful for two fixtures in quick succession: the Conference League play-off first leg against Hapoel Tel Aviv on August 20 and the Serie A opener against Sassuolo. The 25-year-old Belgian is one of two Atalanta attackers currently sidelined, with Ahanor also absent — the player ruled out for the upcoming matches.
The timing is awkward for Raffaele Palladino's side. Atalanta finished the 2025-26 Serie A campaign in seventh place on 59 points, a record of 15 wins, 14 draws and nine defeats across 38 matches. That is a squad that needed no further attrition heading into a European play-off, and losing De Ketelaere — even temporarily — removes one of their most consistent creative threats from the equation at precisely the wrong moment.
The numbers from last season frame the concern clearly. De Ketelaere contributed three goals and five assists across 31 Serie A appearances, carrying an average rating of 7.20 — a figure that reflects consistent, if not prolific, involvement. His AI overall score of 73 out of 100, with a potential ceiling of 79, suggests a player still ascending rather than plateauing. At 25, De Ketelaere is entering what should be his most productive years, which makes any disruption to pre-season rhythm a genuine cost rather than a minor inconvenience.
Atalanta have moved to reinforce the squad around him. Danish defender Rasmus Kristensen has joined from Udinese, and the club are reportedly tracking Noa Lang as a further attacking addition. The arrivals signal that Palladino's staff are aware of the squad's depth limitations — awareness that the current injury cluster has made more urgent.
The Conference League play-off draw has paired la Dea with Hapoel Tel Aviv, with the first leg at Bergamo on August 20 and the return on August 27. Whether De Ketelaere is fit for either leg is unresolved. What is clear is that Atalanta cannot afford to enter European competition already operating below capacity, and the Belgian's return date will define much of how the club navigates the next three weeks.