Palladino expects ‘open and attacking game’ as Atalanta visit Roma | OneFootball

Raffaele Palladino expects ‘an open and attacking game’ between his Atalanta and Gian Piero Gasperini’s Roma, assuring they ‘welcome pressure, motivation and responsibility.’

It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome at 19.45 UK time (20.45 CEST).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s three Serie A games on the Liveblog.

MUNICH, GERMANY – MARCH 18: Lorenzo Bernasconi of Atalanta acknowledges the fans following the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Round of 16 Second Leg match between FC Bayern München and Atalanta BC at Football Arena Munich on March 18, 2026 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

This is an important few days for La Dea, as after this showdown for European places in Serie A, they will face Lazio in the Coppa Italia semi-final on Wednesday evening.

The first leg ended 2-2, so it is all to be decided at the New Balance Arena in Bergamo.

Palladino hoping for Atalanta birthday gift

BERGAMO, ITALY – MARCH 10: Raffaele Palladino, Head Coach of Atalanta, looks on prior to the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Round of 16 First Leg match between Atalanta BC and FC Bayern München at Stadio di Bergamo on March 10, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Today is the birthday of the Atalanta coach, who is hoping for a gift from his former mentor Gian Piero Gasperini.

“We are fully concentrated on tonight’s game, because it is very important and we can blow the race for Europe wide open,” Palladino told Sky Sport Italia.

“This journey started with me five months ago, and every time we slip up, people act as if the world is falling down around us, but we do not lose hope. We climbed up the table, this is a big opportunity for us, and we are certainly not thinking about the Coppa Italia this evening.”

Gasperini was with Atalanta for nine years, winning the Europa League, reaching two Coppa Italia Finals, and turning them from relegation strugglers to regulars in the Champions League.

BERGAMO, ITALY – JANUARY 03: Raffaele Palladino, Head Coach of Atalanta and Gian Piero Gasperini, Head Coach of AS Roma greet each other during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and AS Roma at New Balance Arena on January 03, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Getty Images)

“This job is made of pressure, motivation and responsibility. We welcome all of that, because these are the games you want to play, so we have ambition and motivation against a strong team in their own stadium,” continued Palladino.

“It will be an open and attacking game, so whoever wins the most individual duels will then win the game. We prepared well.”

Giacomo Raspadori starts this evening, having turned down a move to Roma in January because he preferred the Atalanta project, while Nikola Krstovic is preferred to Gianluca Scamacca.

MILAN, ITALY – MARCH 14: Raffaele Palladino, Head Coach of Atalanta, reacts during the Serie A match between FC Inter and Atalanta BC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on March 14, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

“The club deserves credit for building a great squad that has so many quality options, I can choose from at least two in every role, and rotation is natural when I need certain characteristics. I wanted someone to attack the space today, and Gianluca has different characteristics to Krstovic and Raspadori.”