Francesco Totti dominated the build-up as the coaches of Atalanta and Roma geared up for their Serie A meeting.

An ongoing knee injury has limited the World Cup winner's involvement this season, partly explaining Roma's current position of 11th in the standings.

But manager Claudio Ranieri was delighted to welcome back the inspirational forward for his team's last league outing against Bari and the 33-year-old announced his return to centre stage in the most emphatic of fashions, lashing home a 28-minute hat-trick.

That was the decisive performance in a 3-1 victory, a result which extended the Giallorossi's record in all competitions to four games unbeaten.

And it left Ranieri in no doubt as to who the key figure was in his team's quest for victory in Bergamo.

"We know how crucial Totti is for this team," Ranieri said. "He only returned to play today and he already showed why we missed him so much.

"We are now back on the right path but we need to continue to work hard in order to climb up to an important position in the standings."

As well as having club captain Totti back in harness, Ranieri will be hoping Daniele de Rossi passes a fitness test after missing out on training earlier in the week.

Centre-back Juan is also a minor worry but should be passed fit to take his place in the heart of defence.

Hosts Atalanta beat Siena last time out, with goals from Simone Tiribocchi and Robert Acquafresca securing a 2-0 away win, but that is their only victory in their last five matches in league and cup.

The lowest point on that run came just two days ago with defeat by lowly Lumezzane in the Coppa Italia.

Manager Antonio Conte will be without the services of Valdes, Thomas Manfredini and Edgar Barreto, who are all injured, while Federico Peluso is suspended.

But, like Ranieri, the figure of Totti looms large in Conte's pre-match thinking.

"Francesco Totti is a great player and it will be very difficult to stop him but we have to try," he said. "Maybe to stop him I will use a cage and a padlock!

"But we must look for some continuity to our performances after the victory against Siena."

Six points separate the sides but while Roma are only the same margin away from the top four, Atalanta are clear of the relegation zone on goal difference alone.

Nevertheless, with four sides bunched together on four points, a home win would go some way to easing the pressure on the Orobici.