Just over two weeks until the start of the Serie A. Pre-season preparations ahead of the season opener are in full swing: Atalanta’s opening game will be away, as they take on Sampdoria at the Stadio Ferraris in Genoa (kick-off 18:30 CEST).
“The pre-season is going really well. We work so hard, as it should be. We are training with the right mindset to have a great season”.
The team are training hard. Tough preparation, in true Gasperini style. From 1 to 10, how hard is it?
“12, as far as I’m concerned. As I said, we need to build on strong pre-season because we want to achieve great things this season too”.
There’s always a bright side though.
“You put fuel in your legs, you know that you’re working hard and you know that all this hard work will bear fruit later on”.
The goal is to do well, of course, but Duván Zapata would like to achieve another important goal.
“To have no injuries, to have at least one season without injuries. [If I manage to avoid them] then I will certainly be fit”.
It will be an anomalous season, as it will be split into two by the World Cup in Qatar taking place in November and December.
“Yes, for the first time the league starts and then stops a little earlier. We will have a month without matches. It’s a season in which we will have to impress, we have this mentality. I remember in my first year at Atalanta we only played the league and the Coppa Italia and we made history. We aim to do that again this year”.
The fans are back to cheering and applauding the team. The stand at the Centro Sportivo “Città di Clusone” during the training camp was always packed.
“The warmth of the fans is very important to us. We also felt them in Clusone, they accompanied us during the friendly matches we played there. Even during our training sessions in Zingonia, there were fans who gave us support for this season”.
Preparations are well underway with just over two weeks until the league kicks off.
“There is still a lot of work to do. I’m still not feeling great, but we are working a lot. I need a little more time [to get ready], but I am starting to feel a little better”.