Europa League: Atalanta closes with the flowering of the best stage of its history: a team of legend is also being created

A The fourth was magic. Finally, Atalanta achieved a title crowned by the magnificent Gasperini era after three losing Cup finals. The best stage of the Centenary Club got its award in Dublin when they did what few outside Bergamo thought they could do. To beat the invincible Bayer Leverkusen Xabi Alonso. In the 52nd match came his defeat… The nerazzura is celebrated in northern Italy. His second title, the first since the 1963 Coppa Italia.

Atalanta, or ‘de’ (The Goddess), is a family club. A good example of this is seeing the owner clapping in the corner at the match preview, before becoming emotional and crying when he saw the road going by. The Percassi (Led by Antonio, a former football player who became a successful businessman after hanging up his shoes) They have turned a regional club (as they define themselves), into one of the greatest in Italy.

Without the resources of Juventus, Inter or Milan, they simply devoted themselves to doing things right. Something very easy to say… And it’s very difficult to do. Consolidated one of the best quarries in protected areas, creating a lite and management structure They signed a coach who will lead them to success: Gian Piero Gasperini. Di Grugliasco, the one who was fired from Inter for trying to revolutionize a comfortable club after Mourinho’s hat-trick, confirmed all the good feelings he showed in Genoa. And after eight years of flattery and praise, he collects his medal.

“Using a three-man defense is considered a heretic but now everyone wants to play like us. My idea of football is to involve everyone and we train a lot with the ball, that’s the main theme, ” Gasperini declared years ago. His team has been in’ fashion ‘ for many years. Between 2018 and 2021 they took third place three times in Serie A, bordering on the runner-up, in 2020 they touched the semi-finals of the Champions League in their debut, but Paris Saint-Germain left them in the opponent With two goals from Marquinhos and Chubu muteng.

Using a three-man defense is considered a heretic but now everyone wants to play like us

Gian Piero Gasperini

Now, when many forgot about them, as if it were a summer love, they returned. Gasperini created a new, more complete and perfect work adapted to the Times of modern football. Less fun and more effective.

A future… Cool?

But, who puts a tie to this ‘DEA’?. What Roof do they have? Several years ago, perkasy opened the door to foreign investment. American Funds from Bain Capital to take off completely. A job… Although they have already closed each fiscal year with numbers in green. They lost ‘Cobra’ Sartori (the sports director went to Bologna, the team he now joined in the Champions League) but signed d’amico… And he continued to work. They bought their stadium from the Bergamo City Council and renovated it. They are one of the few clubs in Italy to have done so… No matter how strong it sounds.

They will play the next Champions League. They’re back. But, with Gasperini?. It’s the doubt. The Italian technician, already a veteran, doubts. He has one year left on his contract and the club wants to keep him… But Knowles and De Laurentiis knock on his door. Although it is not the center of everything, it is an essential part of the history of Bergamo. Run away in the Lombard city. “If I stay in Bergamo? I want to talk to the president… Let’s see what he says. We will do this in the next few days. If one thinks about leaving, then this will be the best moment, but I don’t want to lose (laughs, Ed.), “He said in the preview. And I didn’t lose.