Atalanta’s Serie A TIM 2020-2021 ended at the Gewiss Stadium. The setback against Milan does not take away anything from what Atalanta have done not only in the league but also in the Champions League and the Coppa Italia. This was also confirmed by coach Gian Piero Gasperini: “It was a summa cum laude season”.
The season ends with a defeat, but this defeat doesn’t take away anything from the great things done by this team, even this season. Does Gian Piero Gasperini agree?
“Absolutely. Luckily, we were out of this dispute, as tonight’s game was difficult to turn around and interpret. Big credit goes to the team who have managed to achieve this fantastic goal with one round to spare. I think we need some vacation because we’ve been playing for too long”.
What season was it?
“It’s been a very long one. It’s been beautiful, fantastic. We’ve been playing for a year since June, except for two weeks after Lisbon. We have always played so frequently, with so many games and so many results. This team has done something extraordinary in this calendar year”.
Gian Piero Gasperini manages to smile because the fans put a smile back on your face, as they celebrated with you at the end of the match.
“It’s extraordinary. This makes you realise how important they are for the show, for football and the matches, we hope we can have them from the start next year. Hopefully, we are out of this pandemic, this abyss and can play in normal conditions”.
Can Gian Piero Gasperini give a grade to this season?
“10 out of 10 with honours, 11, summa cum laude. I don’t know, it’s been a fantastic season. By season I mean the whole calendar year: the 13, 14 matches we played after the lockdown and we won many of them. And then the qualification, the quarter-final in Lisbon, this year’s league, the win in Amsterdam and Liverpool. The Champions League again, our journey in the Coppa Italia. This can’t be other than a fantastic season. All the achievements and points these guys got are huge trophies. Then, there may be regret for having lost the Coppa Italia or maybe second place. But I think there has been a lot of satisfaction, which far exceeds the slight disappointments we have had”.
Now it’s time for some holiday. You said you need to switch off.
“Yes, we need to. Myself in the first place. I need to rest for some days and start to reflect on this year, as there have been many situations, even personal ones. We have changed the team a lot. At the beginning of the year, no one thought we could do without Gomez and Iličić. It’s a team that has evolved, worked, got some incredible results and had great consistency. This year we have some holidays. At least a few days, then we’ll want to go back to work”.