Following Atalanta’s final home game of the season, I return after a week of absence to welcome you all back to Atalanta Club Focus!
As I just said, the weekend brought us the penultimate round of Serie A fixtures for the season and it also gave us La Dea’s last home match of what has been an exciting campaign.
Rediscovering the home form displayed pre-April, the Nerazzurri came up big and can claim responsibility to another giant killing in Bergamo this season.
It was looking to be a case of another Club Focus of moaning from me as Stefano Colantuono’s men found themselves a goal behind as Gianpaolo Bellini put the ball into his own net shortly after half time.
Thankfully, however, this was not to be the case. Germán Denis converted from the spot, exorcising any demons remaining from the spot kick miss against Genoa a couple of weeks ago, to celebrate a good season for him on an individual level as he scored 13 goals to date.
The game looked destined to finish one each, but Franco Brienza had different ideas as he stole centre stage.
As the game ticked toward the 95th minute it seemed like both sides were just waiting for the whistle, an Atalanta attack seemed to have broken down as the ball fell to Brienza about 35-yards from goal. The Italian unleashed a viscous left-footed strike which seemed to be going wide until the very last second as it curled into the net in football’s equivalent of a ‘Buzzer shot’ to give La Dea all three points as the team, substitutes and coaching staff all ran on to the pitch to share this moment of jubilation with the 35-year-old who had never scored for Atalanta beforehand.
Not to give too much away, but there’ll be more on that goal next week, so keep an eye out for that!
It’s looking more and more likely that the win over Milan could prove to be Giacomo Bonaventura’s last game in Bergamo for Atalanta, truth be told it’s something that has been predicted by myself and many others all season. But it will be a great shame to see him go nonetheless and I’m sure I’m joined by all Nerazzurri supporters when I wish him all the best in the coming years.
Looking ahead to next week (as if there’s any point whatsoever.) Atalanta make the trip to face already relegated Catania. In my appearance on the podcast last week I predicted a Catania win in this game, but that was before they had learned their fate. With them being relegated, I don’t even know what to expect. They could come out all guns blazing to give their fans one last display in Serie A, or they could stroll about looking depressed as Il Tanque and co run riot. Let’s hope it’s the latter!
It’s a shame that the season is ending this way, but it’s a sign of how well Colantuono has done this season for us to be disappointed with being guaranteed of 11th place before the final week of the season.
Top of the bottom half, not too bad I guess!
Before I finish, be sure to check out my new feature on the site, ‘Serie A Kit Watch,’ where I monitor the new kits for next season as they are being released and put together a small picture article on a club-by-club basis. First up, is AC Milan so look at their new home and third kits here.
Until next week, sit back, relax and enjoy the last game of the season.
FORZA ATALANTA!
Follow Conor Clancy on Twitter: @concalcio
