PLACE AND CONTEXT
26.05.2024: Atalanta-Torino 3-0 The southern curve is now ready, now Fiorentina and then the current away sector will also be demolished. Given the delay in the works caused by the postponement of the match against Viola, it is likely that Atalanta will ask to play the first two matches of the 2024/25 championship away, as they did last season. It was nice to see the Europa League (the cup) on the pitch at the end of the match, with Percassi, Gasperini and the players called one by one to the applause of the stadium. The enthusiasm of the curve is contagious, but it will certainly give its best at the party in the city on Friday evening. For the rest – the rules for drawing up the Serie A calendar and the management of the cups offered by UEFA – there is Wikipedia. For the party in the city on Friday evening, we are all waiting for the program.
THE MATCH
Fourth, practically third. With the 3-0 rule Atalanta also overwhelms Torino, this time surprisingly with very little Toro, giving a clear message to the championship: in Bergamo the final position also counts. The Nerazzurri team applies the now consolidated 3-0 rule – it is the fifth time in the 17 matches played after the break at the end of March – and overtakes Bologna, climbing to fourth place (and thus Roma is out of the Champions League). But Juve is third just two points ahead (71 and 69): if they beat Viola on Sunday (who play the Conference League final with Olympiacos on Wednesday in Athens), Atalanta will move up to third place. Third in Serie A, after winning the Europa League and losing the Italian Cup final. Best season ever.
Well done Gasp. There was no match What decided Atalanta-Torino was the different approach to the match proposed by the two teams. The fear was that the granata’s desire for ninth place (passport to Europe, if Fiorentina wins the Conference) and at the same time the Nerazzurri’s unloaded head would distort the match. And instead the exact opposite happened: Atalanta traveled on the wings of enthusiasm, offering a convincing match, the guests melted like snow in the sun. There was no story, in a comparison of ten individual duels his Zapata drew (with Toloi) and all the other granata players lost. Impossible to get away with it, and the sequence of goals documents Atalanta’s constant superiority: in the 26th minute (Scamacca), in the 43rd minute (Lookman) and halfway through the second half (26th Pasalic on a penalty). And no one – not even at 0-0 – ever feared that the match would go differently. The decisive man? Mister Gasperini.
Make five changes, you’re equally strong Yes, because when the teams arrive there are two considerations. First, you play to win. Second, we are really strong: because 5 starters change and, in addition to the goalkeeper, Toloi, Scalvini, Holm and Pasalic join the eleven. Given the unavailability of Hateboer, de Roon and Kolasinac, this is the luxury of the large squad, the club’s happy summer intuition: team with 16-17 players of more or less the same level, then the coach will manage the squad with rotations . And yesterday too Gasp was impeccable with the turnover.
Then Gasp announces that he is staying in Bergamo And at the end of the match Gasperini puts the icing on the cake by announcing that he will remain at Atalanta. It was all already very clear to those who know how to watch, but at least the soap opera is over. Now from the details of the extension we will understand future scenarios. Contract of one or two more years (June 2026 or June 2027)? And at what figures? We’ll know soon. But the important thing now will be to plan the future together. Because Atalanta must not lose their measure, and fortunately with Percassi it is difficult for that to happen. Then it will be the coach who will have to make the most of the players available. It’s our history, it brought us this far: why change it?
Nothing said about the match. Because there wasn’t All that remains is to parry one criticism: little has been written about the match. Very true, but because the match didn’t take place. Atalanta played, Torino wasn’t in Bergamo. We won and the points count. The arithmetic fourth place and the now very probable third place count. Applause.
THE SCORESHEET
ATALANTA-TORINO 3-0
Bergamo, Gewiss Stadium – Sun. 26 May 2024, 6pm
Serie A – 38th round
Networks: 26′ pt Scamacca, 43′ pt Lookman, 26′ pt Pasalic on pen.
ATALANTa (3-4-3): Carnesecchi sv (41′ st Rossi 7); Toloi 6.5Djimsiti 7 (18′ st Hien 6.5)Scalvini 7; Holm 6 (18′ st Ruggeri 6.5), Koopmeiners 7Pasalic 7Zappacosta 7; De Ketelaere 6.5 (29′ st Miranchuk sv), Scamacca 7 (29′ st Touré sv), Lookman 8. (average 6.846). All. Gasperini 8 And 8.
TURIN (3-5-2): Twin 6; Tameze 6 (27′ st Lovato sv)Good morning 5Masina 6; Bellanova 6 (27′ st Lazaro sv), Linetty 5.5 (40′ st Savva sv), Ricci 5Ilic 5.5Vojvoda 6; Pilgrims 5.5 (18′ st Sanabria sv), Zapata 6 (40′ st Okoreke sv). (average 5.681). All. Juric 5.5.
Referee: Sozza di Seregno 7.
