As the new Serie A leaders look to finish in the top eight and force the 15-time European kings to face a stunning elimination, Atalanta enters Tuesday’s Champions League matchup against Real Madrid with the belief that they can create more history. The squad led by Gian Piero Gasperini is in incredible shape and, after finishing first in Italy, is in an unprecedented position to play Madrid. According to certain commentators, they are the favorites to win in Bergamo.
With a club-record nine-game winning streak in Serie A and, for the first time in their history, real league title candidates, Atalanta’s confidence is justifiably high.
Additionally, Atalanta has been as impressive in the Champions League, building on their historic Europa League victory from the previous season to take fifth place in the standings with 11 points from their opening five games.
Atalanta had a number of excellent scoring opportunities during their goalless draws with Arsenal and Celtic, and they might have easily had a perfect five wins from five as well.
The match on Tuesday at the Gewiss Stadium is a chance for retribution for the Italians’ loss in the European Super Cup in August, when they played well against an apparently unstoppable Madrid team that was further bolstered by Kylian Mbappe’s arrival.
The last 16 Atalanta eye
Since most predictions indicate they have already accrued enough points to qualify for the playoffs and five more are required to guarantee a spot in the top eight, they may also bolster their case for direct qualifying for the round of 16.
“Tuesday is another huge event for us, the club and the city of Bergamo,” said Gasperini.
“We’re playing Real Madrid close to our first objective in the Champions League, and maybe we can even get something more.”
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.
However, joyful supporters yelled “we’re gonna win the league” when Ademola Lookman scored the game-winning goal late on Friday, marking the 10th goal of the Nigerian forward’s incredible season.
The ability to grind out wins is what separates Gasperini’s earlier Atalanta sides from the present generation, even though Lookman, Charles De Ketelaere, and Serie A’s top scorer Mateo Retegui offer a strong offensive threat.
Madrid will need to defeat a squad that has only given up once in five European games if players Vinicius Junior, Mbappe, and Jude Bellingham are to get their Champions League campaign back on track in coach Carlo Ancelotti’s native country.
“These wins aren’t just falling from the sky,” Gasperini stated.
“This squad fights to the very end to win. Each and every time. We constantly aim to play and win.
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