Atalanta proved themselves to be Serie A’s entertainers again in the opening round of the 2019/20 season as they came from 2-0 behind to win 3-2 at SPAL.
Luis Muriel came off the bench to score a second-half double and complete the turnaround in a game that the visitors had dominated even despite finding themselves trailing by two goals.
Never a dull moment
Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta aren’t good for a heart that’s operating at anything under 100 percent. In 2018/19 they came from behind to win more than anyone else in the top tier and they look like they could do the very same this term.
The Nerazzurri were dominant despite falling behind early and even before and after the second went in, it was them who looked the most likely to find the net.
Their defensive concerns don’t appear to have been addressed, or maybe even seen as concerning, and with the best attack in Serie A last season adding the goals of Muriel, then maybe it’s understandable that they don’t want to take anything away from their irresistible all-out-attack approach.
A chaotic evening in Ferrara has ended with Muriel magic completing an Atalanta turnaround at SPAL to end their exes’ curse.
They came from 2-0 down to win 3-2 and @ConJClancy was there for #FIFattheGames.
Report ? https://t.co/KqC0eSSZfq#SpalAtalanta pic.twitter.com/wrE284fZvb
— ForzaItalianFootball (@SerieAFFC) August 25, 2019
Gasp’s gambles
Never shy of throwing caution to the wind, Gasperini did it again on Sunday when it didn’t even seem like he needed to.
La Dea were on top in Ferrara, but the coach wanted more and withdrew both Remo Freuler and Andrea Masiello for Ruslan Malinovskyi and Luis Muriel, then setting up with just two defenders on the pitch. Even with three, SPAL were a threat on the counter, and affording them extra space to exploit could easily have ended very badly.
Mario Pasalic and Marten de Roon did drop a little deeper, but there were times when it looked like a game of attack v defence.
Muriel got his double, Malinovskyi was effective if a little quiet in comparison and SPAL were shellshocked into a state of not knowing what to do other then put their backs to the wall.
In the end, it’s hard to argue against the risks Gasperini took given the outcome, despite all logic telling you that it never should have worked.
Pasalic’s sacrifices
Often frustrating to watch, Mario Pasalic looked to be having another one of those games on Sunday until Gasperini’s changes.
It could easily have been him withdrawn but when Freuler went off the Croatian dropped deep and often slotted in as a makeshift centre back.
He showed a side of him that hasn’t been seen too often in Bergamo. Gasperini’s midfielder magic might just be at work again.
Parties with Igor
The Ferraresi already have a new hero this season in Igor Dos Santos. The wing-back was lively and direct in possession, bringing all four sides of the Paolo Mazza to the edge of their seats whenever he had the ball.
He drove at Atalanta and assisted Petagna’s goal and came close to a screamer of his own in the second half as his powerful shot flew narrowly wide of the top corner.
A chorus of ‘oles’ greeted him on more than one occasion as he executed stepovers, and he’s one who could be fun to watch this season, particularly if he can find a way to co-exist with Mohamed Fares.
