Gasperini: No experiments, we aim to win; we’re the only team first in UEFA groups

Ahead of the Europa League clash between Atalanta and Rakow, Atalanta’s head coach, Gian Piero Gasperini, met with the press and shared his expectations for his team.

Emphasizing that there would be “no experiments” in his approach to the game, he asserted the need for giving the best possible performance. “We will strive to put out the best match possible, especially since we have all the players in the squad. Every match in Europe is challenging. We had a difficult game in the first leg, so we are expecting a very serious match, with no experiments,” Gasperini was quoted as saying at the press conference.

At the conference, Gasperini listed the players called up for the match, including Carnesecchi, Hateboer, Holm, Adopo, Pasalic, Zortea, Muriel, Miranchuk, and De Ketelaere. He further expressed the determination of the team to do well. “We are the only Italian side that has managed to top our group,” Gasperini added, emphasizing Atalanta’s strong performance in the competition.

Reflecting on Atalanta’s journey in Europe, Gasperini debunked skeptics who doubted the team’s ability to contribute significantly in European competitions. He stated, “When we started playing in cups, some people asked, ‘What is Atalanta doing in the cups?’. Over the years, we have managed to make our own contributions and we will keep striving to do so through our results.”

Gasperini also acknowledged the difficulty in predicting the outcomes of matches in the tournament, stating, “It was hard to foresee achieving first place in the group stage at the last game, we all thought this would be the deciding one.”

The Atalanta boss concluded by appreciating the dedication of his squad, “We played five good matches. It was a great club stage that allowed us some recovery time for some of our players at home.”