Demetrio Albertini, the President of the Technical sector of the Italian Football Federation, was at the Bortolotti Training Centre this morning, Tuesday 30 March, to present the Panchina d’Oro (Golden Bench) award to Gian Piero Gasperini.

“It’s a prize that everyone wants to receive. It’s a recognition for the work done in the previous season. And, especially, because the voters are the same colleagues of the coach. Therefore, in the quality of the technical sector, we couldn’t help but find the best way, considering such a difficult situation, to present this award. And we’ll do it this way also with the others. And, therefore, we are very happy to be here to award Gian Piero Gasperini the Panchina d’Oro, and deservedly so”.

The Panchina d’Oro presented to Gian Piero Gasperini is also a kind of recognition for “his” Atalanta side, and for Atalanta’s achievements in the recent seasons.

“I personally believe that winning both individual and team awards is a mix of various concurrent causes, of many different factors. And there’s always a team to consider, of course, there are the coaching staff and the coach, there’s a Club and there are the supporters. Often, when it comes to success, if something of this lacks or it’s not at its best, or if there’s no harmony, it becomes more and more difficult to win both individual and team prizes. So, I believe that the Coach’s hard work, which has been recognized, should be considered the work done by all these members who make part of Atalanta”.

Were you surprised by Atalanta in these recent seasons?

“No, I wasn’t because they’re improving and it’s not strange. You shouldn’t get used to it because, in the end, to surprise this way, there has to be a lot of work behind, there has to be a strategy. There are choices behind and when you have to make a choice, you can make mistakes. Therefore, there has to be a specific strategy. It’s also important to have a bit of luck, but I really believe in work and in strategy. And this Club has been growing for a long time. Considering both sports achievements and economic growth. This is very important in modern football to forge the national and international goals of each Club”.