Gasperini on Koopmeiners, new Atalanta, Inter and Champions League draw | OneFootball

Gian Piero Gasperini sarcastically commented on the Teun Koopmeiners move to Juventus and warned ‘a new season starts tomorrow’ for Atalanta against Inter, with his Champions League draw wish-list too.

The third Serie A match of their season kicks off on Friday at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT).

This has been a wild summer for La Dea, who played Real Madrid in the Europa Super Cup after winning the Europa League, but then had Koopmeiners and Ademola Lookman refusing to play amid transfer speculation.

“A new season starts for us tomorrow. I enjoyed it until July 10, then it got a bit too hot,” said Gasperini in his press conference with not a little sarcasm.

At least one soap opera was resolved yesterday, with Koopmeiners completing the move to Juventus.

“Koop got what he wanted. He did give us a great deal, so when everyone is happy, Juve, him and Atalanta, then they all lived happily ever after.”

There is still an injury crisis, exacerbated by news Isak Hien has flu symptoms and is expected to miss out, along with Nicolò Zaniolo, Sead Kolasinac, Ibrahim Sulemana, Gianluca Scamacca, Giorgio Scalvini and Mitchel Bakker.

Lookman returned to training yesterday once the transfer speculation from PSG and Arsenal died down and there are new signings Juan Cuadrado and Odilon Kossounou, but Gasperini has high hopes for the remaining hours of the window.

“I expect at least another five or six players,” he laughed. “It’s difficult to make predictions. I don’t think anyone really likes it being open when we are already playing. Cuadrado is a player who can really irritate opponents and was an opportunity as a free agent, he’s really eager.”

Gasperini on Atalanta ambition in Serie A and Europe

Cuadrado was a free agent after leaving Inter, who are Atalanta’s Serie A opponents tomorrow evening at San Siro.

“We have never won there against them, but there is always a first time for everything. Inter are a very strong squad, it’s a bit too early in the calendar considering everything that happened.

“Inter really got a head start on the others, because they were already a consolidated team and got their transfer business done very early. Juventus had an extraordinary transfer campaign, while Milan moved on the market too. Napoli are completing their squad, but I’d say the mid-level sides are going to raise the bar this season.”

This evening, Atalanta will be watching the Champions League draw, which they qualified for both with fourth place in Serie A and by winning the Europa League trophy. Does Gasperini have any preferences?

“Well, we’ve never been to Barcelona… I would always prefer to face big clubs like that, like Bayern Munich. If I could choose, it’d be against teams we’ve not measured ourselves up against before.”