Just how good is Serie A contender Atalanta? AC Milan and Real Madrid are about to find out
ROME (AP) — The two most successful teams in European club soccer history are about to visit Atalanta and both AC Milan and Real Madrid should be wary of what they’re about to encounter.
Atalanta is on a club-record eight-match winning streak in Serie A, is unbeaten for 13 matches across all competitions and has added confidence after winning the Europa League last season.
Facing seven-time European champion Milan on Friday in the Italian league and 15-time winner Madrid on Tuesday in the Champions League will be a test of Atalanta’s relatively new status as a contender both domestically and in Europe. As will a visit to Barcelona in January.
Atalanta is second in Serie A, one point behind a Napoli club that it dominated 3-0 at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona a month ago; and fifth in the new 36-team Champions League standings.
What’s more is that Atalanta has the most goals scored (36) in Serie A and with only 16 conceded has the biggest goal difference (20).
In its last two European matches, Atalanta won 2-0 at Stuttgart and 6-1 at Young Boys. The Bergamo team has scored 11 goals and conceded one in the Champions League. Its last outing in Italy was a 2-0 win at Roma on Monday that was decided when Atalanta removed all of its most established attacking players.
Former Italy coach Cesare Prandelli, who played for Atalanta and began his managerial career there, cited a new “capacity to suffer” under Gian Piero Gasperini.
“During Gasperini’s tenure, Atalanta has always been fun to watch. But when it wasn’t playing its best, it had a tough time getting three points. But now the Nerazzurri are winning ‘dirty’ games, too,” Prandelli said in the Gazzetta dello Sport. “Whereas before it seemed like a team that wanted to win while having fun, now the squad has only one goal: winning.”
The upset victory over Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League final to end the German club’s European-record unbeaten run at 51 games was the turning point, according to Prandelli: “It gave the team an enormous sense of belief.”
Renovated stadium and Under-23 team add to Atalanta's resources
Atalanta’s transformation from a provincial squad that used to hop back and forth between Serie A and B into a contender at the highest levels can be traced to smart financial moves, player acquisitions and sales.
Atalanta is one of the few Serie A clubs to own its own stadium and recently completed a full renovation of the arena.
Already known for having one of the best youth systems in Italy, the club is in the process of expanding its Zingonia training center and last season developed an Under-23 team that plays in Serie C, which means it can keep developing talent in-house instead of having to loan out 50 or so players each season like it used to.
In 2022, the Percassi family that has owned Atalanta since 2010 sold part of the club to American investor Stephen Pagliuca. But the Percassis still run the team.
Retegui leads Serie A with 12 goals; Lookman scored a hat trick in Europa League final
Atalanta striker Mateo Retegui leads the Serie A scoring chart with 12 goals in 14 games during his first season with the club.
Ademola Lookman scored a hat trick in the Europa League final.
Attacking midfielder Charles De Ketelaere has been a revelation ever since joining from AC Milan.
Defensive midfielder Marten de Roon is the team’s emotional leader in his ninth season with the club.
And Ederson has a been a physical force in midfield.
“Ederson has it all: physicality, intelligence, feet,” Prandelli said. “You’ll see him break up an opponent’s play on one end and then shooting on goal at the other end seconds later. He’s a real force of nature.”
Retegui was signed from Genoa to replace the injured Gianluca Scamacca, who is due to return in February.
Atalanta hopes that by then it will still be in contention for its first Italian league title. And competing in Europe, too.
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