Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini shared his thoughts after the team’s 6-1 victory over Cesena in the Coppa Italia Round of 16 at the Gewiss Stadium.
The experienced coach began by expressing his satisfaction with the performance: “Tonight was certainly a beautiful, positive evening.” When asked about his decision to start Retegui over Zaniolo, Gasperini explained, “He needed to play. His condition had dropped in the recent period, but tonight he had an excellent game.”
Gasperini then touched on the club’s philosophy, stating, “We try to build champions in our own house. Examples are Lookman and Ederson. We hope they don’t become too good, or they might be taken away from us.”
Addressing the recent match against Real Madrid, the coach showed no regrets: “No, it must be said that we encountered a Real at their best compared to other matches. We’re talking about absolute excellence.”
When questioned about areas for improvement, Gasperini responded, “We have a lot of spirit and confidence, also thanks to our audience. We’re going through an excellent period. We can improve in several aspects, but especially on the technical level.”
The Atalanta manager also praised Charles De Ketelaere: “He’s always sunny. He’s an intelligent boy, composed for his age. Milan has found an excellent person as well as an excellent player.”
