Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta take on the unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League Final and it is clear that La Dea are once again, back to European prominence after some years away.
For many, the 2023/24 season would be Atalanta’s best season under Gian Piero Gasperini. With the side having returned to the Champions League, they also made it to the final of the Coppa Italia, and they created history by reaching the club’s first European final (tonight!). Arguably, this season has allowed them more chances at winning silverware than any other season in recent memory.
While the Coppa Italia final loss to Max Allegri’s Juventus was quite disappointing, they have another chance at creating history and winning silverware this week. Besides, context is also vital, especially when it comes to La Dea’s identity and recent history.
Atalanta are no strangers to losing players constantly and that is exactly what happened last summer and beyond. Rasmus Højlund, who was catching fire, left for Manchester United and Duván Zapata, who had become a fans’ favourite at Bergamo, departed for Torino late in the window. Later in January, Luis Muriel also left for the MLS and Jeremie Boga had also departed for Ligue 1 in the summer. The Bergamo-based club had to simply reform an attack with the resources they had and the players they were able to sign.
Having said that, Atalanta are no strangers to this process. The club’s strong identity in playing style, tactical approach, and recruitment has made them one of the more prominent European faces from Italy. That sense of identity is something multiple Italian sides have struggled for and while Inter have started to create one, Milan, Napoli and Juventus have failed to have a consistent one. That is where Atalanta flourish and that makes them a very sustainable club. This time around too, La Dea’s recruitment helped them come through a difficult transition.
Charles de Ketelaere, who had suffered a terrible first season at Milan, was roped in on an initial loan deal. Gianluca Scamacca was signed from West Ham after a frustrating and injury-laden spell at West Ham, as Atalanta beat Inter to his signature. Teun Koopmeiners, who had played a much deeper role last season, has been used in the final third and that transition has brought the best out of the Dutchman.
Koopmeiners has shown himself to be a multifaceted force in the middle of the park, showing that he has a keen eye for a pass and even has the ability to dictate play in midfield when dropping deep. He has 12 goals and five assists and it is largely his range of abilities that have caught attention from the likes of Juventus and Liverpool.
While Scamacca and De Ketelaere have witnessed impressive resurgences and have scored a total of 21 goals in the Serie A combined, the Italian’s performance against Liverpool at Anfield caught the eyes of many. While De Ketelaere thrives on taking defenders on and acting as a fox in the box, Scamacca is more of a complete centre-forward. The ex-Sassuolo man has a delightful touch on him, holds up the ball really well, and can also supply the final ball.
At the same time, Brazilian midfielder Ederson has gone up a level and he too, has thrived in a dual role in the heart of the park.
The 24-year-old has six goals but he acts as the crucial link between midfield and attack and that is why he ranks 69 percentile for defensive actions. He has more than effectively replaced Remo Freuler, who departed for Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2022 and is now thriving at Bologna himself.
Ederson – like Koopmeiners, has been linked with Premier League clubs and he is another accurate example of how La Dea operate. He had joined from Salernitana in the summer of 2022 and they seem set to make a profit on the Brazilian.
Another exit from Atalanta in 2023 was that of Merih Demiral, who headed to Saudi Arabia. While it took Atalanta six months to replace him, they seem to have done that perfectly. Centre-back Isak Hien arrived from Verona in January even though Atalanta tried to sign him in the summer until attempts failed. The Swede cost only €9 million and has proved to be one of their best players in the second half of the season.
It wasn’t just a signing made for the sake of it. That isn’t just because he was trailed by Gasperini for months before he was signed, but because he suits the high line setup perfectly.
Like Demiral, Hien has a very good turn of pace during recoveries and boasts a very good reading of the game, helping him be one of the best defenders in the Serie A. He is proactive and also offers good upside on the ball. It is the sort of move one would expect the Bergamischi to make – one that is cheap, suits Gasperini’s approach, and is young enough to generate a future profit.
In a way, it is Atalanta’s consistent playing style which is key to their identity. After all, multiple Italian clubs recruit well owing to the financial constraints upon them. But none of them have a tactical identity which defines them and Gasperini’s constant presence at the Gewiss Stadium has helped in that for Atalanta.
On Wednesday, they come against a side that is arguably the most fearsome in Europe right now and regardless of what Atalanta’s context is, it would be their biggest challenge of the season.
At the same time, it would be another test of whether Atalanta can adapt to situations when it truly matters. The performance against Juve in the Coppa Italia final was rather drab and they created nothing of note, which is quite rare. That makes the Europa League final in Dublin an even bigger test for Gasperini, who is rooted in his ways and there have always been question marks about whether he can adapt when it is truly needed.
Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen have shown that they adapt – constantly. That makes the task even more complex for Atalanta, who could yet bid farewell to Gasperini in the summer. But with Atalanta, there is always this assurance that they will respond and they will always come back and their identity will always allow them to do just that, even if they suffer another Cup final defeat.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow the Europa League Final on FotMob – with deep stats, xG, and players ratings. Download the free app here.