Bergamo, 28 April 2024 – There are no limits in the race to the topAtalanta which from tonight is on close to the Champions area thanks to victory over Empoli 2-0 and at the slowdowns in Bologna and Rome. Dea sixth at 57, fifth place for the Giallorossi at just two points, fourth place for the Emilians at six points. But be careful, the Nerazzurri from Bergamo have to recover the home match against Fiorentina.
In practice, from tonight Atalanta is the master of its destiny in the Champions League race as it has claimed Gian Piero Gasperini: “In the Champions League race, today’s results were favourable, but above all this victory of ours was important. We have to look at our path, if we get our points the Champions League comeback will certainly come.”
Two consecutive victories against Monza and Empoli they allowed Roma to recover 5 points in a week and now Atalanta, fresh from an eight-match April, can focus only on the Europa League. The first leg of the semi-finals in Marseille on Thursday, a week after the return to Bergamo: in between an easy trip to Salerno against a team already relegated to Serie B.
Now for the Goddess the priority is Europe as Gasp remarked: “Until three weeks ago our main objective was the Italian Cup, now it is certainly the Europa League where we want to reach the final, it would be a great achievement for us.” From a Marseille perspective, the Nerazzurri coach made a wide choice turnover against Empoli: De Roon and Ruggeri on the pitch in the first 55 minutes, then changes and limited usage for Ederson, Koopmeiners and Kolasinac on the pitch for 35 minutes.
Total rest for Scamacca, a handful of minutes at the end for De Ketelaere. They will all be starters on Thursday evening at the Velodrome. The ninety-five minutes played by the returning Giorgio Scalvini, who has been out for four weeks with a muscle injury, was important, as he put minutes into his legs and then had to start on Thursday in Marseille due to the absences of the suspended Hien and the injured Toloi.
