
Gasperini Affirms Atalanta Won't Prioritize Serie A Over Europa League
Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini has declared that his team will not prioritize between competing in the Europa League and securing a top-four finish in Serie A, asserting that choosing between the two competitions is impossible. The coach clarified that the club will not make any calculations to favor one tournament over another, but will instead direct its full focus towards delivering the best possible performance in each match independently.
These statements come as the Italian club prepares to face Bologna in the first leg of the Europa League round of 16, with the team aiming to continue its continental journey successfully. In this context, Gasperini emphasized his view, stating, “It is impossible to choose between the league and the Europa League. Every match is extremely important, and we will not make any calculations; we only think about giving our utmost effort in every encounter.” This reflects the club’s desire to fight on both domestic and continental fronts.
Meanwhile, Atalanta goalkeeper Mile Svilar expressed the club's significant ambitions to win the continental title, noting that European nights always give players special feelings and great motivation. Svilar stated, “We always enter the field to win, and we know we must move forward step by step. Our current focus is on eliminating Bologna, who are a good team. We will face them with maximum energy, and then we will see what happens,” hinting at the team's aspiration to achieve a historic accomplishment.
Regarding the team's technical readiness for the upcoming phase, the team has regained the services of Mario Hermoso, who will be available for participation, while Lorenzo Pellegrini might start the match from the substitutes' bench. Despite Atalanta missing several attacking elements who have recently departed, including Dovbyk, Ferguson, Dybala, Baldanzi, Soule, and El Shaarawy, expectations suggest that Javi Saragosa could be given a role in the attacking midfield to bolster the team's offensive power.