Atalanta’s coach Gian Piero Gasperini talked about his contract situation and the status of Giorgio Scalvini, following La Dea’s 3-2 defeat to Fiorentina. The rescheduled fixture was the last of the 2023-24 season, with both sides having qualified for the Champions and Europa League, respectively. Speaking to DAZN post-match, Gasperini touched on the Super Cup against Real Madrid, his new contract and the injury picked up by Scalvini, ahead of the EUROs’:
Gasperini began by commenting on the retirement of referee Daniele Orsato: “I’m not sure if the rule of retiring due to age is entirely fair. Perhaps evaluations should be based more on abilities rather than age. Nevertheless, I hope Orsato remains involved in football as he still has much to offer.”
Regarding his contract renewal, Gasperini stated: “It’s not a priority right now. We already have a strong contract and relationship. The recent days have been wonderful, though challenging and intense. However, the results we achieved made it all worthwhile. Now, we’ll focus on the next season, starting with an exciting match on August 14th.”
Gasperini referred to the upcoming UEFA Super Cup match against Real Madrid: “I was already thinking about Real Madrid, and I watched them last night. They might even add Mbappé, which would make them an even stronger team. Regardless, it will definitely be a great match.”
Looking ahead to the new season, Gasperini said: “At the beginning of the training camp, I don’t want anyone to be overweight (he laughs). However, there won’t be much time for that as many players will be with their national teams, and the others will gather on July 10th. We’ll probably start in stages, with players arriving at different times, but after the right amount of vacation, everyone will be eager to get started again.”
When asked about improving the team, Gasperini commented: “Everything can be improved, even Real Madrid with Mbappé. The challenge is to bring the players together effectively. We will certainly aim to improve the team because that is the club’s intention. We’ve won the Europa League and will compete in the Champions League, so our opponents will definitely take notice of us.”
Finally, on the topic of Scalvini’s injury, Gasperini provided an update: “We’re still waiting for results as he’s gone for an MRI. We should have news in a couple of hours. The incident didn’t look good, and I hope it’s not a cruciate ligament injury, but something less severe. Regardless, we’ll work hard, and he will come back stronger.”
