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As they do from time to time, Atalanta fell to Liverpool on Tuesday, falling apart. a 5-0 loss in their Champions League group stage match in Bergamo.
The temptation to dismiss the game as ‘just another one of those results’ for Atalanta is strong, but it’s probably about time we expected more from Bergamaschi, who has provided a considerable portion of the entertainment offered by all of the Serie A. clubs in the last seasons.
The warning signs have already been there this season, especially in Naples, when Atalanta failed to show up in the first half of a 4-1 loss, conceding each of four goals in the first 45 minutes. Again, at home against Sampdoria, they didn’t turn it on and lost 3-1.
But Tuesday night was his worst performance of the season and he faced, hands down, the best team they have ever faced and will likely face in 2020/21. Liverpool was what Atalanta can be but was not. They were clinical, relentless, sharp, and relentless.
It was never going to be an easy work night for the Nerazzurri, as Pierluigi Gollini was not yet fully fit and had Marten de Roon and Robin Goses injured.
The inclusion of José Luis Palomino in the XI was never going to end well for the hosts, particularly not with him playing behind Mario Pasalic in midfield rather than De Roon accompanying Remo Freuler to create his usual protective wall in front of defense. .
In possession, they never got going. They were not allowed. Papu Gomez was handled very well by Liverpool’s midfield, the wings were silenced and clever tactical fouls broke every counter attempt that came their way.
But in the back they collapsed. Diogo Jota gave Palomino a lap and Johan Mohica had his own struggles on the left, plus Marco Sportiello didn’t exactly cover himself in glory on the back.
Selection errors, individual lapses and facing a brilliant rival cost La Dea. They are not likely to face a team as good as Liverpool again after the return leg later this month, but they cannot afford to have as many days off as they have had since reaching the Champions League.
Gian Piero Gasperini acknowledged this after the game, which will have offered some comfort to Atalanta fans, as well as hinting that things could change in the coming weeks.
“We have to reflect,” Gasperini told Sky Sport Italia afterward. “We did very badly in Manchester [against Manchester City in last season’s group stage] too.
“So, we knew that by changing some things, we would improve. Tonight, there was really a big gap and we have to reflect on the tactical and structural approach for games like these. “
Atalanta is not likely to change too drastically, nor should it, but some adjustments are needed to fight at the top, both in Serie A and on the continent.
However, what is clear is that they are no longer at a stage where these results can be passed without serious scrutiny, and that is perhaps the greatest compliment to Gasperini’s work that can be paid to him. Five games into their tenure in 2016, losing a Champions League group stage match to Premier League champion Liverpool is not something they thought they wouldn’t be happy about in 2020.
Now, however, Atalanta is a serious contender in Italy. The Scudetto is not an unrealistic target. He reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League last season and had one foot in the semi-finals in the 90th minute against Paris Saint-Germain only to fall to two goals in injury time.
No more dire nights like Tuesday should be tolerated and after Gasperini’s comments after the game, it will be a surprise to see too many more this season.
The Atalanta posts have gotten too good to accept full capitulations first appeared in Forza Italian Football.
Source: forzaitalianfootball.com
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