More than five months have passed since the first leg match against Torino but, as Corriere di Bergamo recalls, there are many similarities between that Atalanta and the Atalanta of today. Last August 25 in Turin, the only goal that displaced Vanoli’s team, victorious 2-1, was scored by Retegui, who admitted at the end of the match that he had not yet found a home in Bergamo. He had recently arrived in a hurry from Genoa, but that at the Granata stadium was already his third goal in two straight Serie A matches in a Nerazzurri jersey. Now, since returning from injury, he has scored four consecutive goals in the last three games and wants to continue to be decisive.
In defense, however, there was a major emergency: both Kolasinac and Toloi were injured, while the unfortunate Scalvini was still recovering from ACL surgery. Coach Gasperini had set back De Roon along with Hien and Djimsiti. Today he finds himself again without Scalvini, and without new reinforcement Kossounou. And right from him comes the third similarity. Atalanta at the end of August was in the middle of the market, just like today: only three days earlier it had signed Bellanova and still neither Cuadrado nor Kossounou had arrived. Bellanova and Cuadrado themselves could start on the flanks, with the rested Samardzic in the three-quarter behind De Ketelaere and Retegui. Finally, five months ago Gasp opted for Brescianini, back from his double with Lecce, because Lookman seemed to be leaving. Now the Nigerian is in the infirmary, and Brescianini comes from the encore assist against Como.
The article Towards Torino, how many coincidences with August comes from CalcioAtalanta.
