Percassi: ‘Better for Atalanta to be consistent’ rather than Leicester City flash in the pan | OneFootball

Atalanta director Luca Percassi feels it is tougher to be ‘consistent’ in the top spots of Italian football rather than the title-winning one and done of Leicester City.

The Champions League match with Celtic kicks off at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo at 17.45 UK time (16.45 GMT).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from this game and Young Boys-Inter on the Liveblog.

“These are all very important matches, the points up for grabs are valuable and we know how difficult this competition is,” Percassi told Sky Sport Italia.

“This will be a complicated match and we must face it with the Atalanta spirit.”

Mateo Retegui has been a revelation this season for La Dea, scoring eight goals with two assists in eight Serie A appearances.

The Argentina-born Italy international was signed on August 8 from Genoa for €22m plus another €3m in add-ons just 48 hours after the devastating Gianluca Scamacca knee injury.

Considering how quickly they swooped for him, was Retegui always their first choice?

“He was absolutely our first choice, even if it was an area where we honestly did not think that we’d have to work on in the market, as Scamacca is such a strong centre-forward,” confessed Percassi.

“We are very happy that we managed to sign an Italy player who from the first day had a good impact here and is proving himself on the field.”

Atalanta no longer a surprise

BERGAMO, ITALY – MAY 31: Players of Atalanta BC celebrate on the bus during the Atalanta BC Europa League Trophy Parade on May 31, 2024 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Pier Marco Tacca/Getty Images)

Kasper Schmeichel is in goal for Celtic this evening and famously won the Premier League at Leicester City in 2015-16 under Claudio Ranieri.

Do Atalanta feel they can perhaps follow in those footsteps, or is it better to be more consistently in the top spots rather than win once and slide back down?

“This kind of consistency is more difficult and it makes us frankly extraordinary in this football world, almost unique. It is a great story and down to all the hard work of everyone here for many years.

“Being in the Champions League is significant and we must recognise that we earned this, but it is also very difficult.”

Atalanta had already qualified for the Champions League by finishing fourth in Serie A, even without winning the Europa League last term.

Finally, Percassi was asked about the form of Nicolò Zaniolo, who is on loan with option to buy from Galatasaray, but struggling to make an impact.

“We have a squad of great quality, Zaniolo is doing well and we need some patience, but he will prove what he can do. We are confident Nicolò will be an important player for us and we will know how to wait for him.”