Palladino: ‘Priority was the Conference League, I’m sorry we didn’t get a result’ | OneFootball

Raffaele Palladino apologised after Atalanta lost 1-0 at home to Bologna, though the defeat also confirmed a place in next season’s Conference League, which he said had been the priority.

Riccardo Orsolini struck in the 77th minute. Atalanta remain seventh, with Bologna eighth and three points back before the final round, but the Rossoblu cannot catch them because Atalanta hold the better head-to-head goal difference. As reported by Football Italia, Palladino also thanked the club, his players and the fans.

Although Atalanta reached the Champions League last season, he said he was satisfied with Conference League qualification given the team’s early-season difficulties. He described an uphill start and credited the players for hauling the side out of trouble. He added that the result showed the ambition within the club.

Palladino highlighted strong relations with the Percassi and Pagliuca families, saying ownership support underpinned these achievements, and he hoped that would continue. He insisted Atalanta deserve to be in Europe.

Explaining his selection, he said Lazar Samardzic and Gianluca Scamacca stayed on the bench because the game state prompted other changes. Mitchel Bakker returned and made a contribution, and the staff were happy to see him back on the pitch.

Source: Football Italia