Atalanta defeated by Az Alkmaar 1-0

Palomino and Zapata mistakes deliver the Koopmeiners ‘derby’ to Teun’s younger brother Peer. Az Alkmaar won by a measure (0-1) at Gasperini’s Atalanta and condemned the Bergamo players to their second defeat in as many international friendlies played at the Gewiss Stadium during the winter break (also knocked out against Frankfurt while in Nice and Seville the Goddess has dropped the three of a kind). The Dutch immediately took the lead with Evjen’s lightning goal (goal after a handful of seconds courtesy of Palomino). And in the second half the substitute Zapata had the penalty of the possible 1-1 saved.

There is Zappacosta

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In the 3-4-1-2 designed by Gasperini the owner between the posts is Sportiello (with Musso out due to a slight sprained left ankle). To protect him are Toloi, Palomino and Djimsiti. On the flanks, space for Zappacosta (who saw the field again in Seville last week after the stop due to injury) and Ruggeri. The median pair is made up of De Roon and Ederson while the former Koopmeiners is the attacking midfielder in support of the Lookman-Hojlund tandem (preferred to the Colombian duo Muriel-Zapata). Unavailable, in addition to Musso, Pasalic (fever), Hateboer and Demiral (inflammation of the left knee for both). In coach Jansen’s Az there is Odgaard in attack, a Dane who grew up in the youth sector of Inter.

The match

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Ready, go and after about thirty seconds the match is already unlocked. Pasticcio by Palomino, deflected goal by Evjen and ball behind Sportiello (1′). The Bergamo reaction goes through a post hit by Hojlund at the end of a personal action. Atalanta raises the engine speed and begins to grind the game. In the 30th minute Lookman coordinates Zappacosta’s assist from the right but Verhulst deflects for a corner. And on the next corner Palomino nearly equalized with a header (31′). The second half opens with the Dutch double, scored by Ejven but promptly canceled for offside (8′). In the 22nd minute Gasperini fished from the bench to liven up Atalanta’s offensive front: inside Zapata, Muriel and Malinovskyi. And it was Zapata himself who obtained (foul by Verhulst) the penalty for a possible Nerazzurri equalizer (34′): from the penalty spot, however, the Colombian let himself be hypnotized by the opposing goalkeeper and in the subsequent retaliation he shot sky-high. In the 43rd minute Maehle tries with a header: the ball goes high. In the final Jansen throws “his” Koopmeiners, brother of Teun (44 ‘). Not even in the three minutes of added time did Atalanta manage to break through the wall erected by their opponents. And at the triple whistle she is forced to raise the white flag. At the end of the race thunderous applause in memory of the late Pele. Tomorrow Atalanta will play a friendly against Crema in Zingonia. Next Wednesday the trip to La Spezia to return to racing in the league (Atalanta are sixth, -6 from second-placed Milan).

gasp against zapata

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“The fact that he wanted to take the penalty kick was a bad sign from Zapata.” Word of mister Gian Piero Gasperini, coach of Atalanta, who spoke on the sidelines of the match lost against Az Alkmaar. “We had both Muriel and Koopmeiners on the pitch but Duvan wanted to force it. It wasn’t a great gesture. Indeed, a sign of pressure which is not good”. And on the team’s performance Gasp added: “I think we have to play with feeling and character – said the coach at the press conference -. The team struggles to recover the ball and we don’t have physical strength, but we are compact and can make up for it. Without a great spirit is suffered against the technical teams “. Gasperini also explained that the guideline can be summarized in “value, sell and reinvest. There are no other ways. And if there are, I’m not part of it. My choices are completely different from what I read. For me the only goal is not to go to Europe. Atalanta have made enormous capital gains by making results against indebted teams, collecting a lot and being at the top: all of this is extraordinary. Ours is not a team that can claim to go to Europe or the Champions League. But I will do everything to achieve the goal”. And looking back, the coach then explained that “there are too many things that distract from what Atalanta’s real dimension is, that is, continuing to enhance the players. Last season went by as a failure, when it was 6 ° best championship. I pass over the episodes, in which no one defended the team. This year we were in the first 2 places for 10 days. The level of controversy is too high and difficult to bear: it only hurts the team, not the trainer”. In recent weeks, Gasperini has flown to the United States, as a guest of the Pagliucas in Boston. “A very educational journey: I saw another world. Here in Europe, those who achieve results lose hundreds of millions of euros, while in America they earn. Pagliuca’s management of the Boston Celtics is very similar to that of Percassi at Atalanta: an familiar albeit in a different context”

ATALANTA (3-4-1-2): door; Toloi (40′ st Okoli), Palomino (11′ st Scalvini), Djimsiti; Zappacosta (1′ st Maehle), De Roon (40′ st Boga), Ederson (22′ st Malinovskyi), Ruggeri (11′ st Soppy); Koopmeiners; Lookman (22′ st Muriel), Hojlund (22′ st Zapata). All. Gasperini.