Gasperini: ‘De Ketelaere has grown exponentially’ | OneFootball

Gian Piero Gasperini warns Atalanta ‘have margin for further improvement’ after beating Lazio 3-1 and Charles De Ketelaere’s confidence has ‘grown exponentially.’

La Dea continued their remarkable run of results, particularly at the Gewiss Stadium, by sweeping Lazio aside 3-1.

Mario Pasalic opened the scoring with a chest and volley, before the De Ketelaere brace including a penalty.

Ciro Immobile earned and converted a spot-kick to get Lazio on the scoresheet.

“We are going through a good period of form and have improved a great deal, but we still have margin for further improvement and there are things we need to fine-tune,” Gasperini told DAZN.

“Having beaten a strong side like Lazio with this style gives us enthusiasm and we think that we are on the right track.

“Undoubtedly, if you get results like this, you can challenge for the top spots in the table. We went close in the first half of the season, have now started strong and thanks to this win have also got a better head-to-head record with Lazio.”

Atalanta had lost 3-2 to Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico earlier this season, so now if these two teams finish level in the table, La Dea will have the upper hand.

It is not just in Serie A where they are impressing, as Atalanta are also in the Coppa Italia semi-final and the Europa League Round of 16.

“We struggled in the first half of the season against teams with a high press, as we risked losing the ball for dangerous counter-attacks. We are working hard on playing out from the back, because the alternative is a long ball and we don’t want that.”

De Ketelaere scored the first Serie A brace of his career and seems a completely different player to the one who struggled at Milan.

“A lot of that is down to De Ketelaere, he is the one putting in these performances,” argued the coach.

“He found an environment where he feels comfortable and in the last few months has gained confidence exponentially. You just have to look at the way he converted that penalty, how he tries moves that are not simple. He loses the ball rarely and is starting to win it back too.

“We always knew De Ketelaere was a quality player, but he is now playing with confidence and becoming a real reference point for the squad. I can think of no better compliment for him.”

Maurizio Sarri said that if Atalanta play like this, they are the favourites for the Champions League place. Does Gasperini feel the same?

“We are not refusing or hiding anything, but there are many teams and not many points between them. There are three out in front at the top, then everyone else is in the mix, including us.”