The coach on the eve of the match against Empoli: “The break can do us very well, especially if we win… We’ll recover Djimsiti and Koopmeiners and we’ll be able to play our chances”
March 16 – zingonia (Bg)
It’s almost difficult to say whether the worst moment is for Atalanta or for Empoli: the points scored in the last six games show that the most negative streak is that of Zanetti’s team, which comes from three consecutive defeats, but considering the weight of the squad and seasonal expectations, tomorrow’s crossing is more delicate for the Goddess, who also has a doubt Zapata, beyond the absences of Koopmeiners and Djimsiti.
Optimists
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It’s true that those in front also hold back, but Europe doesn’t wait and a victory is needed to restart: the last one was that of the Olimpico against Lazio, the last one at home even on 28 January, against Sampdoria. In some ways, the trend is similar to the one that last season saw a boundless drop in the lack of European qualification, but Gian Piero Gasperini explains why it would be wrong to think of a sequel to that film: “We must be optimistic because we are still there, and 26 days, and perhaps it had never happened since I’ve been here that Atalanta remained so high for 26 days, with this continuity. Because I’ve always seen the team with enthusiasm, desire, athletically and psychologically in place. Because after the break we will also recover Djimsiti and Koopmeiners and we will play our chances”.
precious stop… if you win
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The key is not to make this stop into a long two-week period dedicated to negative balance sheets and analyzes on why: “The stop can do us very well, especially if we win tomorrow… For this we have to push hard, to then prepare ourselves for a sprint 11 games: if we reverse the trend and find a positive thread, we’ll be back in the running for everything. Twelve games are a lot and we have every intention of playing our chances. After all, almost everyone has something to complain about and many struggle to win: as expected, a tougher and more balanced championship has begun since January, in which anyone can take points away from anyone, many teams have open ambitions and whoever is behind has come closer, with the January transfer market or thanks to growth. that it’s hard to accept that Atalanta may have a moment of difficulty Not everything has a single explanation and so I say that there are two things: either the coach doesn’t understand anything or this is the performance possible for Atalanta”.
zapata doubt
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The possible recipe is all too obvious: to win tomorrow. “We need it to get close to who’s in front and relaunch who’s behind us. But one game isn’t enough: we need a series, obviously starting tomorrow. And it won’t be easy, not just because Empoli have shown their strength winning with Inter: a team that plays football, young, fresh. We’ll need a great game.” And of course score. Zapata, who didn’t train yesterday as a precaution, is on the verge of being called up, it will depend on training this afternoon: “He’s coming from various injuries, sometimes his doubts depend on sensations, perceptions that we’ll evaluate today. If I’ll put him on the list , it will be because he can go on the pitch: then it will depend on his condition and availability whether from the start or maybe in the run. If I see him convinced he can also play as a starter, otherwise he can enter later. The recent lack of goals – even if in general we have always built enough – it also depends on the opponents; from such days of forwards who had previously done very well; from the fact that more is needed even from those who come on from the bench”. First suspect for the referral, Luis Muriel: “His condition is better now, but when he was available, he always came on: when he doesn’t play from the start it’s because I think he doesn’t have 90 minutes. We need a more prolific offensive phase and I don’t find it right to separate Zapata and Muriel from Lookman and Hojlund, who like everyone can have a moment of tarnish. It is only if the whole department raises its performance that the team also rises”.
March 16 – 16:16
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