Gasperini: “Basic Atalanta players enjoy football”

Gian Piero Gasperini insists it is “fundamental for Atalanta that the players enjoy their football” as he explains Mateo Retegui’s return against Genoa today.

It starts at 5pm UK time (4pm GMT) at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo.

La Dea have a point from their last two Serie A games but are fresh off a 3-0 Champions League win over Shakhtar Donetsk.

“There really wasn’t much time to prepare, so we tried to get some energy back. We only had time to work yesterday, but when you win it boosts your confidence,” Gasperini told DAZN.

The coach really became famous in two different phases in Genoa, where his style of football began to influence many others, but word also spread that the players really loved this approach.

“I think it is fundamental that the players enjoy football. I had a good time in Genoa with good results, my career has always pushed me to develop and grow.”

Among those influenced by Gasperini is Alberto Gilardino, who is currently Genoa’s coach.

“Gila has done extraordinary things in recent years, suddenly being promoted from the youth team to the main team and winning a complicated and difficult Serie B title. “Last season was also incredible, he kept Genoa comfortably in midfield in Serie A. He is one of the young coaches who has shown the most versatility,” Gasperini added.

Atalanta is in an injury crisis and is missing Odilon Kossounou, Berat Djimsiti, Matteo Ruggeri, Marco Brescianini, Rafael Toloi, Giorgio Scalvini and Gianluca Scamacca.

However, Retegui returns to the starting XI and faces his former club Genoa, who he left in the summer, to replace the injured Scamacca. Will playing against his old teammates give him extra motivation?

“Retegui is always motivated and very positive in every game he has played. If you are on the field every three days, you will have to change the squad. “I think that Atalanta and themselves are motivating him today instead of playing against Genoa,” assured the coach.