With Serie A’s top place in their sights and a growing sense that this year may be their year for unheard-of Scudetto victory, Atalanta takes on AC Milan on Friday night. Atalanta, who are now one point behind leaders Napoli, are aiming for a club record-tying ninth consecutive victory in Italy’s premier division and are, for the first time in their history, serious contenders for the championship. Atalanta had never placed higher than third in Serie A, a feat they accomplished three times in a row between 2019 and 2021 with an exciting squad that included Papu Gomez, Duvan Zapata, and Josip Ilicic in an all-action assault.
But in Gian Piero Gasperini’s eighth season as coach, the present squad, still riding high from last year’s historic Europa League victory and the division’s leading scorers with 36 goals, is capable of going even farther.
Claudio Ranieri declared that Atalanta was “ready, really ready” to compete for the league title following their 2-0 victory against Roma on Monday night. Since the beginning of October, Atalanta has won 11 of 12 games across all competitions, drawing the other.
“Those that participated in the Europa League were able to improve as players as a result of winning it, and many new players have joined who are also growing. Following his team’s six-run defeat against Young Boys last month, Gasperini stated, “That’s the reason for these results.”
A victory over Milan will tie a Serie A victories record set in 2020, when Bergamo was the epicenter of the Covid-19 outbreak in Europe, and put Atalanta ahead for at least two days when Napoli hosts Lazio on Sunday night.
Atalanta shocked Europe that year by making it to the Champions League quarterfinals, when two late goals kept them from defeating the ultra-wealthy Paris Saint-Germain and securing a trip to the round of four.
Since then, Atalanta has continued to make improvements both on and off the field.
On Tuesday, Atalanta, a historically modest, provincial team with ardent supporters, will play Real Madrid.
But first up are Milan, who have won their previous three games against the lowly opposition of Slovan Bratislava, Empoli, and Sassuolo, scoring 12 goals in the process, despite trailing Napoli by 10 points with one game remaining.
After a horrific night that brought back memories of former captain Davide Astori’s untimely death in 2018, Inter and Fiorentina, who play Cagliari on Sunday, are both three points behind Atalanta with one game remaining.
The Viola are awaiting an official diagnosis about the cause of midfielder Bove’s unconsciousness. Bove is currently in critical care at Florence’s Careggi hospital.
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