Atalanta needed a big performance on Thursday evening and with two goals in the opening five minutes, Josip Ilicic was precisely the medicine required.
Bologna visited the Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia off the back of three straight wins, but with AC Milan, Lazio, Roma, Fiorentina and Sampdoria all dropping points, Atalanta were desperate to take three points and make another step towards the Champions League places.
Ilicic got this going in the third minute with a sublime strike from outside the box, he made it 2-0 two minutes later with an excellent and rare right-footed effort that powered in off the upright, before turning provider for Hans Hateboer to make it 3-0 after just nine minutes.
On his day, there are few more enjoyable players to watch than Ilicic and if Papu Gomez was La Dea’s genius in the weekend’s win at Parma, then it was the No.72 who took his turn in midweek.
