Atalanta relaunches itself in the crowded race for Europe. On the 27th day of Serie A, the team of Gasperini beats Empoli 2-1wins again after a complicated month and reaches 45. At the Gewiss Stadium in the first half, the Nerazzurri wasted several chances and conceded Ebuhei (44′), then in the second half The Roon (58′) e Hojlund (86′) solidify the domination of the players from Bergamo and overturn the result.
THE MATCH
After more than a month of abstinence, Atalanta are back to winning ways. And it does so at the end of a race that sums up the moment of the Goddess. Despite an almost total domination, Gasperini’s men needed 86′ to realize the Nerazzurri superiority, overturn Empoli and collect three very heavy points in the fight for Europe. After De Roon’s draw, Hojlund took care of filing the case. But the Nerazzurri victory stems from the changes and the change of attitude in the Dea’s opposing area. Providential substitutions that gave more concreteness and weight to the offensive phase in the face of almost total control of the game and maneuver. Good news for Gasperini, who in a somewhat complicated moment is back racing at the top of the standings by regulating a perhaps too submissive Empoli throughout the match.
In search of a breakthrough and more physicality, Gasperini up front relies on the “old guard” and opts for the all-Colombian tandem Muriel-Zapata. Zanetti, on the other hand, is betting everything on young players and Piazza Fazzini in the middle and Baldanzi behind Caputo and Satriano. At a good pace it is the Goddess who starts better. Tall and aggressive, Atalanta presses the bearers, maneuvers with many men and pushes on the wingers. Pasalic immediately devours a great opportunity following a perfect cross from Zappacosta, then Perisan flies in with a left footed shot from De Roon’s edge and … misses the target with his header. Episodes that increase the Nerazzurri’s forcing and force Empoli to withdraw and tighten the lines on the Nerazzurri’s changes of play and on the insertions of midfielders. Ebuhei defuses a dangerous diagonal from Zappacosta, then Dionisi lets it go on a contact in the area between Parisi and Zapata and Pasalic sends his head out of a good position. Under pressure, Atalanta increases the laps between the lines, gains meters and crushes Empoli. Despite the domination of the game, however, the Goddess fails to realize three other great chances (two with Pasalic and one with Zapata) and suffers the mockery at the end of the first half. Ebuhei took care of breaking the deadlock after a carom in the Nerazzurri area on the development of a nice combination on the left between Akpa Akpro-Baldanzi. Goal that freezes the Gewiss Stadium and sends Gasperini’s men surprisingly behind in the locker room.
The recovery opens without changes and with the same tactical theme of the match. At the Gewiss Stadium it is always Atalanta who build and play the game. Empoli, on the other hand, defends itself and focuses everything on counterattacks. On the one hand Perisan hits Zapata, then De Winter clears a good cross from Zappacosta. On the other hand, Caputo has two great opportunities to double, but Scalvini and Musso save the Goddess. Under pressure, Gasperini’s men raise their center of gravity, attack with many men and even the score thanks to a header from De Roon following an assist from Ruggeri. Goring that puts everything back in balance and lights up the match. To give more substance and experience in the containment phase, Zanetti removes Grassi, Fazzini, Akpa-Akpro and Baldanzi and brings in Bandinelli, Ismajli, Haas and Henderson moving to five-man defence. After a header just wide by Ruggeri, Gasperini instead responded by throwing Lookman, Hojlund and Boga into the fray in place of Scalvini, Zapata and Muriel. A move that changes the face of the Goddess and marks the finale. Tall and aggressive, the nerazzurri filled the opposing area and attacked head on. A free-kick from Boga goes high, then Hojlund scores the game goal with a flash after a clash in the area between Bandinelli and Pasalic. Goal that overturns the result and inflames the last few minutes. Hunting for an equaliser, Empoli rushed forward. The Goddess instead closes the lines and plays throw-in, forcing Perisan to overtime on Lookman and again on Hojlud. Atalanta wins again and breathes high-altitude air again.
REPORT CARDS
Zapata 6: he alternates deep movements to lengthen the team and plays on the side to feed the insertions from behind by Pasalic and De Roon. The physicality is there, the malice and precision in the conclusions less
Zappacosta 6,5: pushes and forces Parisi to stay low keeping him busy with his raids. Always ready to be found free by his teammates and aim for the man, but he can’t hit the target
Pasalic 5: it pushes between the lines and goes in tow on the banks of Zapata and on the crosses. In the first half you have three great chances to hit: Parisi saves one on the line, the other two he wastes by making a mistake with his header
The Roon 6.5: in the median, the dam rises and you don’t go through the central streets. Always dangerous even when he enters from behind as in the action of the goal with which he equalizes the score with his head
Hojlund 7: he enters and takes the turn together with Boga and Lookman. He presides over the opposing area by making Luperto & Co. feel his physicality and signing the goal that decides the match. He fights, takes over the counter and engages Perisan
Baldanzi 6.5: he settles between the lines and tries to take advantage of the few opportunities to restart with quality. The technique is there and in the strait it makes the difference. Trigger Ebuhei’s network together with Akpa-Akpro
Satriano 5.5: Caputo moves little and is forced to work almost alone in the department. Lots of dirty work on the restart and backs to the door
Ebuhei 6: fight in the wing with Ruggeri trying to limit the damage in the containment phase, then at the first good opportunity he finds himself in the right place at the right time to unlock the match
THE TABLE
ATALANTA 2-1 EMPOLI
Atalanta (3-4-1-2): Musso 6; Toloi 6, Palomino 6, Scalvini 6 (31′ st Lookman 6,5); Zappacosta 6,5 (44′ st Maehle sv), De Roon 6,5, Ederson 6, Ruggeri 6,5; Pasalic 5 (44′ st Demiral sv); Zapata 6 (34′ st Hojlund 7), Muriel 5,5 (34′ st Boga 6,5).
A disp.: Rossi, Sportiello, Okoli, Soppy, Colombo, Chiwisa.
All.: Gasperini 7
Empoli (4-3-1-2): Perisan 7; Ebuhei 6, De Winter 6, Luperto 5.5, Parisi 6; Akpa-Akpro 6 (24′ st Haas 5.5), Grassi 5.5 (15′ st Ismajli sv – 34′ st Walukiewicz sv), Fazzini 5.5 (15′ st Bandinelli 5.5); Baldanzi 6.5 (24′ St Henderson 5.5); Caputo 5.5, Satriano 6.
A disp.: Ujkani, Stubljar, Cacace, Tonelli, Stojanovic, Marin, Pjaca, Destro, Vignato, Piccoli.
All.: Zanetti 5,5
Referee: Dionysis
Scorers: 44′ Ebuhei (E), 13′ st De Roon (A), 41′ st Hojlund (A)
Ammonites: Lookman, Palomino, Ruggeri (A); Henderson, Bandinelli (E)
Expelled: –
THE STATISTICS
In the last 50 years among Atalanta players aged under 21, only Domenico Morfeo has scored more goals in a single Serie A season in 1995/96 (11) than Rasmus Højlund (seven in 2022/23).
It was last February 11 (2-0 v Lazio) that Atalanta hadn’t won a Serie A match; ended a run of four games without success in the tournament (D1, L3).
Atalanta have won both of their Serie A matches this season against Empoli for the first time since 2016/17.
Marten de Roon scored the first goal this season; the midfielder who hasn’t scored in Serie A since 27 April 2022 (v Turin), has headed two of the last three goals in the top flight.
Atalanta have scored with 18 different players in this Serie A, in the five major European championships in progress no team has scored with more different players (18 also for Marseille).
Gian Piero Gasperini (802) became the 4th manager to cross the milestone of 800 points in Serie A, also taking into account victories, in the three points for a win era (since 1994/95), after Luciano Spalletti (974 ), Carlo Ancelotti (948) and Massimiliano Allegri (926).
Tyronne Ebuehi scored his second Serie A goal against Atalanta; both goals coming in his last eight games in the tournament after he had failed to find the net in any of his previous 27 top-flight games.
Only Stefan Posch and Danilo (both three goals) have scored more than Tyronne Ebuehi (two) in 2023 among Serie A defenders.
Empoli have lost four games in a row in Serie A for the first time since December 2018 (a run of four consecutive knockouts in that case too, under Giuseppe Iachini as coach).
Empoli have conceded in eight consecutive Serie A games for the first time since the period between September and December 2021 (a streak of 11 in that case with Aurelio Andreazzoli on the bench).
Empoli is the team that has earned the fewest points (two) and suffered the most defeats (five) in this Serie A since the beginning of February.
Since the beginning of February, only Cremonese (13) have conceded more goals than Empoli (12) in Serie A.
Atalanta have scored 14 goals in the first 15 minutes of the second half in Serie A this season, at least six more goals in the period than any other team in the current tournament.
Matteo Ruggeri served up his first Serie A assist in his 34th top flight appearance.
Atalanta fielded their oldest starting XI in Serie A this season against Empoli (28 years and 160 days on average).