What will Thursday’s match between Atalanta and Leipzig be like? The fixture will take place on 14 April at the #GewissStadium. Will it be as open and fascinating as last week’s first leg at the Red Bull Arena? Will it be blocked as a spot in the semifinal is up for grabs and either one or the other team have to win? Gian Piero #Gasperini in his exclusive one-to-one interview seemed to be certain: “It will be a thrilling match”.
Gian Piero Gasperini, how are Atalanta coming into this match, especially mentally?
“Well, Atalanta arrive here after a tough loss in the league and after a great performance at Leipzig. Atalanta must move on. Atalanta still have so many games to play and all of them are important. Moreover, we’re approaching the end of the season and all of them are decisive. Hence, I think the best thing is to look ahead”.
This season is a bit more complicated than the other ones, isn’t it?
“We’ll see. Yes, undoubtedly, but we’ll see at the end of it. It’s still premature to take stock. Let’s focus on tomorrow’s match, first of all. We don’t have time to think about what we have done right and wrong”.
The first leg was amazing, what will the return leg be like?
“Unpredictable. I don’t know, as the return leg is decisive, there must be a winner. A draw isn’t enough. So, I don’t know if this cup game will be technically as good [as last week’s], but it will be thrilling, that one yes, as when it’s a knockout game, there’s always great tension”.
Will an incident decide this game?
“It might be an incident or even more than one. It’s undoubted that incidents have more importance in this type of game”.
It starts at 1-1, away goals don’t worth double anymore. You must win, as you said, there’s no other possible result. Both Leipzig and Atalanta need to win to go through.
“I find this system even fairer. You can’t speculate on a result. You must win at least one of the two games with a one-goal margin. In our case, a 1-0 win would be enough for us. We hope so! We’re in the game. It’s the same for them”.