Atalanta’s manager Gian Piero Gasperini has expressed his admiration for Arsenal ahead of their upcoming Champions League encounter, while also conveying confidence in his team’s ability to cause another upset.
Gasperini, who led Atalanta to a successful Europa League campaign last season, where they claimed victory against strong teams like Liverpool, now faces the daunting task of competing against Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal in this season’s revamped Champions League.
The primary objective for Atalanta is to advance to the knockout stages under the new tournament format.
The 66-year-old coach revealed that Ademola Lookman, a key player for the Italian side, is fit and available to play against Arsenal.
While acknowledging Arsenal’s strength, Gasperini emphasized Atalanta’s ambition to compete fiercely.
“We have to understand that we’re not yet at the level of these bigger clubs,” Gasperini admitted, “but we approach every game with the aim of getting the best result, and tomorrow will be no different.”
Gasperini recognized the challenge posed by Arsenal, but saw the match as a valuable opportunity for his team to measure their progress.
“We’re starting this campaign against a very difficult opponent,” he said, “but this gives us a chance to see where we stand.
I don’t know Arteta personally, but as a coach, I have nothing but respect for him.
His team is well-drilled, organized, and plays attractive football.
They’ve achieved great results, even though they fell just short of winning the Premier League.”
Reflecting on Atalanta’s recent achievements, Gasperini expressed pride in their Europa League success, which was a significant milestone for the club.
“Our Europa League campaign was remarkable,” he said, “it was a competition that had eluded us for a long time, so to win it was a huge achievement.
Now, our focus is on maintaining our competitiveness in the Champions League.
Breaking into the top eight will be very challenging, but our target is to remain in the group of teams ranked between ninth and twenty-fourth.
To do that, we need to be ready to fight for points in every match.”
Despite the respect Gasperini has for Arsenal, his comments suggest that Atalanta will not approach the game with fear but rather as an opportunity to prove their quality on Europe’s biggest stage.
He has been realistic about the differences between the two teams but remains confident in his squad’s ability to rise to the occasion.
With Lookman available for selection and a desire to test themselves against one of the Premier League’s top sides, Atalanta will be aiming to make their mark in the Champions League this season.