Champions, Atalanta with Young Boys for the first time with the public in Europe

Tomorrow will be one of those days to tell the grandchildren. In style “the first time the Champions arrived in Bergamo, I was there”. Details: the Champions League at Atleti Azzurri d’Italia, in reality, is nothing new. But unless the grandfather of the fictional story is a footballer, a coach, a trainer, a manager, a stadium attendant, a policeman, a nurse or a journalist, he was not allowed access last season. A mockery of fate. In the first year of Atalanta in Europe that counts, the stadium was not yet equipped and the Nerazzurri asked for hospitality at San Siro for the matches with Shakhtar, Manchester City, Dinamo Zagreb and Valencia. Then, when Atleti Azzurri d’Italia was ready, the pandemic arrived to prevent fans from following their favorite team. So against Ajax, Liverpool, Midtjylland and Real Madrid, the stands of the Bergamo stadium remained sadly empty. Now the people of Bergamo, albeit with the limitations of the case – capacity at 50%, about 7,800 tickets on sale if we do not consider the seats reserved for Uefa and sponsors -, will finally be able to say “I was there too”. As of yesterday there were 7,401 tickets already sold, it is easy to think that it will practically be sold out before kick-off at 18.45 tomorrow. So against the Young Boys it will still be a party, with the notes of the Champions hymn as an unpublished soundtrack.

On the attack

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To make it complete, the victory of the Goddess would also be needed. A success that would launch the Gasperini gang to first place in the group, beyond the result between Manchester United and Villarreal in the other challenge of the group. Against the Young Boys, Atalanta will have to confirm the progress made in the matches against Sassuolo and Inter, perhaps even finding Duvan Zapata’s goals. The Colombian has been dry in the Champions League since 27 October 2020, when with a brace he scored a comeback with Ajax, right at Atleti Azzurri d’Italia. Then the scene changes for seven consecutive races. Who knows if the position of the home crowd will not help him to unlock in Europe, after the two goals scored so far in the league.

Choices

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A hand, for sure, can come from the bench if Gian Piero Gasperini decides to risk Luis Muriel. The other Colombian, who instead signed the last two European goals of the Goddess: the very heavy one to Ajax for the passage of the round and the useless one, of the flag, to Valdebebas in the elimination by Real Madrid in the second round. Yesterday Muriel trained for part of the session with his teammates and today Gasp should call him for the first time just a month after his last match, on August 28 against Bologna in Serie A. The owner in front will still be Zapata, in a formation that should follow that seen with Inter, with the exception of a safe change: out Palomino (first degree injury to the hamstring, he is in strong doubt also for Sunday’s match against Milan in the league), Djimsiti is back in defense. The only doubt on the right wing: Zappacosta again or a chance for Maehle? Beyond the formation, Atalanta will have to break the taboo “of the three goals”: in the first seven matches of the season, the Gasperini gang has never gone beyond two goals. It had never happened to her in the previous five years with Gasp on the bench. Young Boys are forewarned …