Atalanta’s Gasperini: We Played a Good Match, Conditions of Scalvini

Atalanta’s head coach, Gian Piero Gasperini, had a lot to say following his team’s victory over Lecce. According to Gasperini during the post-match press conference, Lecce could have undoubtedly drawn, and Atalanta had a bit of a struggle coping with an injured Kolasinac and a few fatigued players.

Despite these circumstances, Atalanta managed to play well in a challenging game, taking some opportunities when they arose.

The coach opined that the match was unique, with Lecce being a well-organized team. He said, “We struggled to create opportunities at times, but then we started to widen the defensive gaps and managed to score. We faced some dangerous situations where we had a hard time covering but overall, the 1-0 win is satisfactory.”

Midfield flexibility was also discussed with Gasperini acknowledging that they have the ability to rotate between Pasalic and Koopmeiners. In regard to Lookman, the coach said he was effective. A player like Lookman, Gasperini implied, offers the team versatile attacking options along with the likes of Scamacca, De Ketelaere, and Muriel.

Gasperini also looked ahead, hoping that his team continues to fight with spirit and determination in 2024, just as they had done in their recent victory over Lecce. He seemed to perceive a growing unity in the locker room, reflecting on the pitch. “The standings are very close, with lots of surprises. Today, we had a demonstration,” he said.

On another note, he confirmed that further assessments would be done on Scalvini’s condition. “Scalvini? His situation will be evaluated tomorrow; we need to see if it is a minor hernia. We must wait another day,” the coach noted.

Referring to their position on the table, Gasperini said, “We have overtook Napoli. We maneuvered nine victories which are not insignificant, but we also endured seven losses, most of which were from direct matches that we lost at the end. The standings might seem deserved with a few more draws. The team continually grows in defence and midfield, and we adapt well despite injuries. If we keep the continuity, and with Touré’s return around the corner, it will reflect if we can leap in quality.”

This news was drawn from the full post-match press conference conducted in Italian and held by Atalanta’s head coach after the match against Lecce.