Gasperini: ‘Fundamental Atalanta players enjoy football’ | OneFootball

Gian Piero Gasperini insists it is ‘fundamental that players enjoy their football’ for Atalanta and explains the return of Mateo Retegui against Genoa today.

It kicks off at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo at 17.00 UK time (16.00 GMT).

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

La Dea have one point from their last two Serie A matches, but are fresh off a 3-0 Champions League victory over Shakhtar Donetsk.

“There really hasn’t been much time to prepare, so we tried to recuperate some energy. We only had yesterday to work, but when you win, it does improve confidence,” Gasperini told DAZN.

The coach really shot to fame in two different spells at Genoa, where his style of football began to influence many others, but also where word got around that players genuinely loved this approach.

“I think it is fundamental that players enjoy their football. I had a good period at Genoa with good results, my career has always taken me to progress and grow.”

Gasperini influence spread in Serie A

Among those who were influenced by Gasperini is Alberto Gilardino, who is currently the coach of Genoa.

“Gila has done extraordinary things in recent years, as suddenly boosted from the youth team to the main squad, he won a complicated and difficult Serie B title. Last season was incredible too, he kept Genoa comfortably mid-table in Serie A. He is one of the young coaches who has shown the most versatility,” added Gasperini.

Atalanta have an injury crisis on their hands, missing Odilon Kossounou, Berat Djimsiti, Matteo Ruggeri, Marco Brescianini, Rafael Toloi, Giorgio Scalvini and Gianluca Scamacca.

However, Retegui returns to the starting XI and faces his former club Genoa, who he left during the summer to replace injured Scamacca. Will playing his old teammates give him extra motivation?

“Retegui is always motivated and very positive in every game he has played. When you are on the field every three days, you need to rotate the squad. I think today he is motivated by Atalanta and himself rather than facing Genoa,” assured the coach.