In a press conference ahead of the Champions League clash against Young Boys, Atalanta’s head coach Gian Piero Gasperini discussed his team’s current form and the challenges they face with the synthetic pitch in Bern. After a rocky start to the season with losses to Torino and Inter, Atalanta has rebounded impressively, currently sitting second in Serie A and ninth in the Champions League with eight points from matches against Arsenal, Shakhtar, Celtic, and Stuttgart.
Opening the conference, Gasperini acknowledged the positive momentum his team is experiencing: “We are in a very favorable moment of results, but so are many other teams, which makes the league very interesting. Now we need to refocus on the Champions League. We have to be very careful; we saw what happened in the match against Inter.”
Addressing the upcoming match on a synthetic pitch, Gasperini noted the improvements made since their last experience with such surfaces. “The synthetic pitch is better than it was three years ago; we need to adapt quickly. It’s clear that the bounce is different, similar to playing on clay in tennis. You can’t look at the ground for holes because there aren’t any, but the speed of the ball is different. The best players must play; if they are fit, they will play. Every match is difficult; some players might be at risk, leading us to make different formation choices.”
Gasperini also reflected on his own growth as a coach during this process: “Players are the main source of ideas; you try to create perfect conditions for them to express themselves at their best. Playing in cups has also been a source of experience for me.”
When discussing player availability, he mentioned Gianluca Scamacca’s return from injury: “Scamacca and Retegui are two different players. When we manage to recover him, we will definitely be stronger. We will work to get them both on the field together.”
