Atalanta might not qualify for a European competition this season, but Gian Piero Gasperini remains upbeat considering the bigger picture: “When I came here, we had a team that relied on its experience and focused on obtaining enough results to get to 35 points. They never tried to take an extra step. But the stadium was always full, as Bergamo is like Bilbao. The youth academy was incredible and filled with interesting prospects.”
The coach spoke to Sky Sport during the presentation of a book: “It took me a while to get my message across. The first breakthrough came in the match versus Napoli, where we evolved. Six years is a long time in football. We managed to change and adapt. Giorgio Scalvini is the only true home-grown player now. The pandemic has had a big impact in the last two seasons. I always say that when you stand still, you slip up, so you always have to be on the move.”
Gasperini has built a model at Atalanta that has inspired other coaches: “It is a source of pride for me. You need to study all the time, as the competition is incredible. You have to be open to adjusting. Playing in the Champions League raised our level. I never thought we were the strongest team, but we were often the best one. We have not shown that recently, but the guys are working hard. We hope to get back on track in the final matches.”
“We have to maintain our modus operandi and make good decisions. Errors help you improve. When they tell us that we have not won anything, I reply that we have broken all sorts of records. I was appalled when a fan said to me that he was envious of Verona’s Scudetto.”