A victory in Udine would have allowed Gian Piero Gasperini’s team to surpass Napoli, who are set to face Verona on Sunday, based on goal difference. However, they did not perform at their usual high standard.
“They were better than us, more intense than us. We struggled the whole first half and were lucky,” said Gasperini to DAZN.
“We were a bit better in the second half but in the end it’s a decent point.”
The draw on Saturday allows Inter Milan the opportunity to overtake Atalanta for second place if the defending champions secure a victory against Venezia on Sunday afternoon, intensifying the three-way title race. Atalanta, currently engaged in the Italian Super Cup in Saudi Arabia, has a match in hand against Juventus scheduled for Tuesday evening in Bergamo, followed by a home game against Napoli next weekend.
In their pursuit of a first-ever Serie A title, Atalanta struggled to create chances in Udine and were fortunate not to suffer a defeat against a determined Udinese side, who nearly took the lead just before halftime.
Alexis Sanchez struck the woodwork twice in quick succession, first with a header and then with a rebound that hit the bar.
Goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi was relieved when Sandi Lovric's header from the second rebound went directly to him, allowing Atalanta to escape with a lackluster performance in the first half.
The visitors showed some improvement in the second half but failed to make an impact against an Udinese team that has settled comfortably in mid-table after three consecutive draws. If two teams end the Serie A season tied on points, they will compete in a single match to determine the Scudetto winner.
Later, Sergio Conceicao will make his debut as AC Milan's coach at San Siro against struggling Cagliari, having led his new team to victory in the Italian Super Cup in Saudi Arabia.
Since taking over from Paulo Fonseca earlier this month, Conceicao has transformed the atmosphere at Milan, aiming to reignite the team's quest for Champions League qualification.
Currently, Milan sits in eighth place after a disappointing first half of the season, trailing Napoli by 17 points.
Juventus will face local rivals Torino, looking to narrow the four-point gap between them and fourth-placed Lazio, who were held to a 1-1 draw by Como on Friday night.
Nikola Krstovic's two goals in Lecce's 3-1 victory over Empoli have bolstered their hopes of avoiding relegation, moving Marco Giampaolo's team three points clear of the drop zone.