Atalanta coach Gasperini: Playing against big teams should give us motivation

Atalanta coach Gasperini: Playing against big teams should give us motivation

Veteran Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini stressed today, Monday, that “to face the big teams” should give his players motivation.

And that was on the eve of facing Villarreal, Spain, at the start of the two teams’ journey in the Champions League group stage.

“The key word in Villarreal is the ability to win for this coach (meaning Unai Emery) and the potential of his players,” Gasperini said during the press conference on the eve of the match hosted by the (La Ceramica) stadium.

It’s a great team. There are players who will make this match very difficult. Playing against these big teams should give us motivation.”

The 63-year-old added, “Villarreal does not need any introductions, they won the European League and played the Super Cup against Chelsea. This year they are participating with great potential, with a more powerful squad.

Villarreal knows how to play in different ways. I haven’t been able to watch a lot of games for them this season, because they’ve played a few games, but it’s still a strong, well-organised team. We need to put in a strong showing.”

Gasperini underestimated the importance of the Spanish team entering the match with more energy for its players after the postponement of its La Liga match against Deportivo Alaves this week.

While his team played in “Serie A” against Fiorentina and lost (1-2), as he indicated that this may create motives for his players.

The veteran coach also stressed the difficulty of the group in which his team plays, which includes, in addition to them, Manchester United and the Swiss Young Boys.

“I think the group is very difficult, more than the previous years we were in,” he said.

We have to do something special if we want to go beyond this role, because we are playing against high caliber opponents.”

This is the third year in a row that the Bergamo city team has participated in the “Champions League”, and it is currently considered one of the great powers in Italy.

He explained, “This way in the continental championship made us improve. In our first appearance in the ‘Champions’, we conceded 4 goals in Zagreb (against Croatian Dinamo Zagreb).

We conceded a lot of goals against big teams like Manchester City and Liverpool, but we also won matches we didn’t expect to win.”

Gasperini concluded his statements by emphasizing his confidence in all his players, in the absence of one of his most prominent Colombian stars, Luis Muriel, due to injury until next October.

But there will be compatriot Duvan Zapata, who will start as a starter in Tuesday’s match.

For his part, Argentine defender Jose Luis Palomino said Atalanta that coach Unai Emery’s team is much more than Gerard Moreno.

“Moreno is a very important player for them, but it’s not just the team. They are skilled players,” he said.

“We hope to start in the best shape against a team that won the last edition of the European League,” he added.

“Hopefully we will put in a great match. We are happy to be involved in another year in the Champions League. We have learned from the past years in this competition.”

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