A fundamental challenge for the Champions League race, with the feared spin effect to be avoided. Atalanta will face Empoli on Sunday 28 April (6pm Gewiss stadium), a «difficult match» as reiterated by Gian Piero Gasperini in the press conference on the eve of the match against the Tuscans: «We have a problem with Verona at home, we were winning 2- 0, then came a draw. They were two points left by the wayside, we need to win this race to detach those behind and get as close as possible to those in front. Nicola is a coach who I respect a lot – highlighted the coach -, in recent years he has achieved incredible results such as the salvation obtained with Crotone. He did an incredible journey on the bike to satisfy this vow that he had made – Gasperini laughs -. He is doing an incredible thing again this year, for them tomorrow is a very important match for reasons different from ours, but these spins have always given everyone problems. It will definitely be a difficult match, we will have to play an excellent match to try to win.”
The Atalanta coach, in a press conference, also returned to the expulsion he received in the quarter-final of the Italian Cup against Milan, due to protests against race director Marco Di Bello. «The disqualification in the semi-finals of the Italian Cup? I was sorry because they are not races that you experience every year, I was sorry because it came after a warning to the VAR and a double head injury. After causing enough disasters in the league, I now see that referee often in Serie B, there has been some justice.”
