The Cult of Calcio
·18 November 2024
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Yahoo sportsThe Cult of Calcio
·18 November 2024
The 2024 Serie A season has seen the remarkable resurgence of Atalanta, which has been fueled largely by the great form of their new star attacker, Mateo Retegui. That’s because Retegui, who was signed during the summer transfer window, hasn’t wasted any time in making a name for himself in the club as a scoring machine.
This Argentine-Italian forward’s efforts have helped Atalanta to be one of the leading teams in the Serie A scoring charts which has been very useful in helping the club make its way into the top four in the league. Retegui’s journey to Serie A stardom has been very eventful too.
Even though he was gaining momentum in Argentina, he was largely overlooked locally up until European scouts started noticing his clinical finishing. However, even though many of Europe’s top clubs expressed interest in him, Retegui chose Atalanta.
This was a great match as the team had finished fifth last season and was hoping to improve its odds of clinching the Serie A title. As last year’s Europa League winners and the only team to break Bayer Leverkusen’s almost invincible streak, this season, Atalanta currently hovers around 9/1 (+900) odds to win the Scudetto at the best offshore sportsbooks.
Many of these sportsbooks, according to gambling expert Ciaran McEneaney, offer faster payouts, a wider array of soccer teams and odds to choose from, and bigger bonuses. These odds reflect Atalanta’s growing stature in recent years and how they have cemented themselves as one of the best sides in Italy and contenders for the title.
Retegui’s efforts could assist the club realise this goal though as from the start of the season, he’s made significant contributions to the team’s success. One of these was the brace he scored in his debut match, which he followed up with consistently contributing to the scoreboard at both home and away games.
Retegui’s success has highlighted a wider trend in European football of an increasing reliance on foreign talents with dual nationalities. This has brought more diversity to the playing styles available in the Italian league.
For Retegui, though, this trend hasn’t just represented an opportunity to gain experience in a European league. Instead, it has given him a chance to become one of the leading figures in Italian football and build a legacy for himself and his club.
Building this legacy with Atalanta is also shaping up well as the team’s style of play has been praised for years now and complements his. What makes us say that is the club’s manager Gasperini’s attacking tactics have always thrived on pressing and quick transitions, which have become even more lethal with Retegui spearheading them.
Also, this midfielder’s ability to recover the ball and launch incisive attacks has allowed him to maximize his goal-scoring potential. Fellow teammates have also provided him with a constant supply of chances, while wingbacks are great at stretching the field, to create spaces that Retegui can exploit.
Retegui’s physicality has allowed him to be effective at holding up play too as he brings his teammates into attacking positions. Additionally, his dribbling skills have made him a defender’s bane as he can create his own chances.