Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini previewed his team’s clash against Liverpool in their upcoming Europa League knockout match.
Speaking in a pre-match press conference via La Gazzetta dello Sport, Gian Piero Gasperini termed Liverpool as the clear favourites against Atalanta in the two-legged Europa League quarter-final tie. The first leg is set to be played tomorrow in Anfield and La Dea go into this match as the underdogs.
Gasperini said: “This is a different competition compared to the championship and Italian Cup – clarifies Gasperini, trying to put the last two defeats against Cagliari and Fiorentina behind us -. We are playing a clearly very difficult round, against the favourites of the competition and the top of the table in the Premier League. We face them in this stadium and this time there is the public: it will be a great experience that we have gained.”
The Italian manager has chosen his starting goalkeeper for tomorrow as he stated that Juan Musso will play against The Reds. He said: “Musso, because he has always been an exemplary professional and he has always played in the Europa League”
Gasperini hailed the role of fans in clashes of this magnitude in knockout competitions and related to the situation he faced during the pandemic. He said: “Football is for the public, which in itself is a spectacle and perhaps even the most beautiful, especially when people sing and cheer on their team. It was dramatic to play in empty stadiums, as unfortunately happened for over a year and in a very positive period for us. We were without an audience in Madrid against Real, in Amsterdam, in Manchester. It’s lucky that the audience is back: I think the greatest success for Atalanta is to play in stadiums like this and this time find an audience.”
Trambak Bhattacherjee | GIFN
