‘Everyone in Europe is aware’ – Fonseca full of admiration for ‘pioneer’ Gasperini | OneFootball

Paulo Fonseca has heaped praise on his opposite number Gian Piero Gasperini ahead of AC Milan’s meeting with Atalanta tomorrow night.

The team from Bergamo have played in the Champions League as much as Milan since Gasperini’s arrival (2016-17), with four participations each. They won the Europa League last season ending Bayer Leverkusen’s unbeaten run by beating them 3-0 in the final in Dublin.

This season they seem right in the mix for the title given they are one point off Napoli in top (and nine ahead of the Rossoneri), while they are also doing well in Europe given they are fifth in the Champions League table.

Fonseca spoke to the reporters who gathered at Milanello for his pre-match press conference on the eve of the game. He was asked about whether this might be a ‘good’ time to face Atalanta, after the recent upturn in form.

“I think it’s never a good time to face Atalanta (laughs). Yes, we’re growing, the team is confident. We know that facing them is always difficult, 8 wins in the last 8 games, they’ve scored 26 goals and conceded only 4,” he said.

“They’re a very strong team. It will be a very difficult match but we’re ready, we’re confident to play against Atalanta.”

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The Portuguese was questioned more specifically on what he thinks of Gasperini, who is in his ninth season in charge of Atalanta and has delivered consistent success – relative to expectations – with an attractive playing style.

“We haven’t seen a team play like this, man to man, for a long time. Football is like life: cyclical. Gasperini was a pioneer in playing like this. Now everyone in Europe is aware that it is difficult to face teams like Atalanta.

“There are many teams that follow the same model as Atalanta. The other day I was looking at an article written in Germany, there are many teams that play like this now.

“Bayern play like this, Stuttgart too… They followed the ideas of Atalanta and Gasperini. Their way of playing is a point of reference at an international level.”

Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images

Fonseca was also reminded of the fact that he has never won against Gasperini after facing him four times as Roma boss. Is there a desire for revenge? Not in his eyes.

“I have no special desire to beat Gasperini. I am the first to say that he is unique. We must recognise the work he is doing, it is great. I have great admiration for Gasperini, there is nothing personal.

“I want to win tomorrow like all the other matches, I have nothing personal to prove. We must all recognise the merit of others, I recognise the merit of Gasperini.”