BERGAMO. A fundamental victory for Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta. Against Bayer Leverkusen it ends 3-2 thanks to Muriel’s brace and Malinovskyi’s goal, for the Germans Aranguiz and Diaby on the net. A lively game full of goals, the Nerazzurri, however, did not take advantage of the defensive distractions of the guests, which were quite frequent throughout the match. Qualification still open, but now Gasperini’s team has a double result: to qualify for the quarter-finals it will be enough not to lose in Leverkusen in a week.
An open race with a lot of show was expected and the expectations were not disappointed. Just enough time to study in the first ten minutes that Aranguiz hits the crossroads inside the goal on a free kick, the ball does not enter by a matter of centimeters. The number 20 comes back two minutes later at the end of a video game action, the billiard shot is practically unstoppable.
However, Atalanta’s reaction was immediate, on 23 ‘Malinovskyi invented a combination with Luis Muriel and went to score from inside the area, mocking Hradeckyi. Not even two minutes later the hosts took advantage of Tapsoba’s mistake in the disengagement, yet Muriel concluded with a first intention and overtook the Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper for the second time. In the last 15 minutes of the first half the Nerazzurri waste the impossible, just before the double whistle Zappacosta kicks in the door and finds Hradeckyi again, on the next corner Malinovskyi almost signs the 3-1.
In the first 15 minutes of the second half, Atalanta is a steamroller: Muriel scores 3-1 after an excellent hole by Malinovskyi, then Gasperini’s team devours two more occasions. Bayer tries to react and Diaby reopens the game again with a personal action after an individual mistake by Djimsiti in the coverage phase. At 84 ‘Hateboer tries personal action, the conclusion of the number 33 is however deflected for a corner. It ends 3-2, in seven days the return to Germany with the Goddess who has two results for three to remove the pass for the quarters.