Gasperini on Atalanta excitement and emotional night for De Ketelaere | OneFootball

Gian Piero Gasperini is glad Atalanta can get stuck into the Champions League knockout phase against Club Brugge and hopes being back home ‘won’t affect Charles De Ketelaere too much.’

It kicks off at the Jan Breydelstadion in Bruges at 17.45 GMT.

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from this game and Feyenoord-Milan on the Liveblog.

Although they were just one point off the top eight and therefore direct access to the Round of 16, La Dea have the best away record in the entire league phase, winning three and drawing 2-2 in Barcelona.

It was announced today that Gasperini has been awarded the Enzo Bearzot Prize for 2025, given to the best coach in Italian football, largely for his Europa League triumph last season.

“Now I have to prove that I deserve it. Bearzot was a great man of sport and was always a reference for all coaches, so it’s an honour,” Gasperini told Sky Sport Italia.

Gasperini glad to be in knockout football

epa11790331 Atalanta’s Charles De Ketelaere celebrates after scoring the 1-1 goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match Atalanta BC vs Empoli FC, in Bergamo, Italy, 22 December 2024. EPA-EFE/MICHELE MARAVIGLIA

The first leg of the Champions League play-off is this evening in Bruges, with the decider at the Gewiss Stadium next Tuesday.

“This is no longer a league phase, it’s a knockout round played over two legs and every detail will be important.”

It is a special fixture for De Ketelaere, who grew up in the Club Brugge youth academy and was born near the stadium, so he’ll have many friends and family in attendance tonight. There was also a banner in the stands welcoming him ‘back home.’ Is there the risk it could be a little overwhelming?

“We hope it won’t affect him too much, but he grew up here, he’s at home and once he gets onto the pitch, his mind will be on the match,” assured Gasperini.

Atalanta always play to attack and very rarely change their tactical shape, but Gasperini assures that Club Brugge are to be feared.

“We always take our opponents into consideration, we saw their games against Juventus and Milan, which were both very tough performances for the Italian sides. They held Juve to a draw and it was really difficult for Milan when it was still 11 against 11.

“It’s the Champions League, there are no easy games.”