Real game is in the past, Atalanta back to winning days

Atalanta can win even without their coach Gian Piero Gasperini and with only one healthy striker. After a controversial Champions League match against Real Madrid, Atalanta was back to the Serie A reality and finished off Sampdoria with ease: 2-0.

After being sent off last week, Gian Piero Gasperini was serving a touchline ban, so his assistant Tullio Gritti was in charge of the match and it proved to be good for the guests since Gasperini has lost six of his Serie A games against Claudio Ranieri. Luis Muriel was the only healthy striker, but today, against the average Sampdoria team, it was enough. The hosts were looking at the Derby Della Lanterna with Genova on Wednesday, and Ranieri rested his key players for this match, making it even easier for Gasperini’s men. Basically, half of the team was missing for Doria, and the game seemed to be lost as the teams went out of the tunnel.

Sampdoria had total control during the first half an hour, with chances coming from Damsgaard and Jankto, whose effort was cleared off the line by Palomino. Atalanta „woke up“ after that, realizing that they have to fight for the Champions League spot and that the hosts are just a mediocre team, so the roles switched and the guests started to press. Malinovskyi had a decent shot in the 29th minute, but his real chance came 11 minutes later. The Ukrainian footballer exchanged passes with Muriel down the right, went inside, and hit an absolute rocket into the far top corner for the lead.

Atalanta started heavily in the second half, determined to score the second goal and finish the match as soon as possible, but Maehle’s beautiful goal was disallowed in the 50th minute after Gosens was offside. The same player was onside after two minutes, but his shot was saved by Audero. Ranieri introduced his best players Keita, Quagliarella, Ramirez, and Cadreva after 60 minutes, but Atalanta finished the job in the 70th minute when Gosens finally scored.

After all, it was an expected result as this season, Sampdoria is no match to Atalanta. Claudio Ranieri and his men will now focus on their most important match – Derby Della Lanterna with Genova on Wednesday, while Atalanta continues to fight for the Champions League spot with an easy game with Crotone.

SERIE A - Round 24

Saturday

Specia - Parma 2-2 (0-2)

/Gyasi 52', 72' - Karamoh 17', Hermani 25;/

Bologna - Lazio 2-0 (1-0)

/Mbaye 19', Sansone 64'/

Verona - Juventus 1-1 (0-0)

/Barak 77' - Ronaldo 49'/

Torino - Sassuolo - postponed

Sunday

Sampdoria – Atalanta 0-2 (0-1)

/Malinovskyi 40’, Gosens 60’/

17.00 Udinese - Fiorentina

17.00 Crotone - Cagliari

17.00 Inter - Genoa

20.00 Napoli - Benevento

22.45 Roma - Milan