Super Mario’s ‘Crazy Eight’ Pasalic: More solutions and a new revival with Atalanta

Mario Pasalic appears to have renewed his ‘super’ status at Atalanta with a revised tactical approach and may be a key player in their forthcoming matches.

Known as the “Crazy Eight” or “Otto Matto” – a reference to a power-up in the popular video game Mario Kart that lets users use every single weapon to halt other racers and take first place – Pasalic’s resurgence has been seen as crucial for the Italian club.

Pasalic endured an unremarkable start to the season, largely anonymous within Atalanta’s squad, with his technical and tactical identity seemingly lost in disappointing performances against Torino and Udinese.

However, a turning point came with games against Milan, Rakow, and finally Salernitana. His role was redefined, moving from a limited attacking midfielder role to a constructive role spanning the midfield, offering him more room to manoeuvre while also doing the dirty work when required.

Further notable is Pasalic’s understanding with fellow midfielder Teun Koopmeiners, with positional exchanges functioning seamlessly. In yesterday’s game, it was Pasalic advancing with Koopmeiners providing cover, compensating for the lack of form from Ederson.

While Pasalic may no longer be the pure attacking midfielder from the Champions League golden years, coach Gian Piero Gasperini believes that the midfielder’s new role means he’s now a more complete player. Embracing the ‘Crazy Eight’ persona may lead to more game-changing opportunities and of course, being decisive on the field again. This marks a significant milestone as he has now made 200 appearances for Atalanta.