There was to be no repeat of last week’s first-leg collapse as Atalanta strolled to an impressive 8-0 victory away to Sarajevo in their Europa League second qualifying round tie to secure a 10-2 aggregate win.
Having returned to Europe for the first time in 26 years in last season’s Europa League, back-to-back participation in European competition is something the club have been desperate to make sure of.
The Bergamaschi travelled to Bosnia with some caution having thrown away a two-goal lead in Reggio Emilia last week when the game, and tie, appeared wrapped up at half-time.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s pre-match words clearly struck a chord though and Atalanta came out flying, leading within five minutes through Jose Luis Palomino.
Captain Alejandro ‘Papu’ Gomez scored two excellent strikes from long range before Mersudin Ahmetovic put the ball into his own goal.
Andrea Masiello joined his fellow defender in finding the net while Musa Barrow got himself a second-half hattrick to make amends for some careless play in the final third last time out.
La Dea will now meet either Hapoel Haifa FH Hafnarfjordur in the third qualifying round to seal a place in the group stages.
