[Atalanta's head coach Gian Piero Gasperini and Napoli's haead coach Carlo Ancelotti (r) during the Italian Serie A soccer match Atalanta vs Napoli at Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia in Bergamo, Italy, 03 December 2018. EPA-EFE/PAOLO MAGNI
Atalanta's head coach Gian Piero Gasperini and Napoli's haead coach Carlo Ancelotti (r) during the Italian Serie A soccer match Atalanta vs Napoli at Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia in Bergamo, Italy, 03 December 2018. EPA-EFE/PAOLO MAGNI](https://football-italia.net/ancelotti-hails-spectacular-gasperini/) Carlo Ancelotti was full of praise for Atalanta head coach Gian Piero Gasperini ahead of their reunion in the Champions League on Tuesday evening, but the Real Madrid boss warns that Jude Bellingham is ‘taking advantage’ of the team’s recent recovery of form in attack.
Atalanta will host Real Madrid at the Gewiss Stadium in the Champions League on Tuesday evening, kicking off at 20.00 GMT.
The two teams have already met once this season, during the UEFA Super Cup back in August: A game which Madrid won 2-0 in Warsaw.
Fortunes in Europe have changed since then, though, as Atalanta currently sit in fifth place in the standings, while Real Madrid are languishing down in 24th after slips against Liverpool, Milan and Lille in the competition thus far.
What Ancelotti said about Gasperini and Atalanta
When asked about Atalanta’s success during his pre-match press conference, Ancelotti said that the praise should lie at Gasperini’s feet.
“We’re great friends, we met at Juventus,” Ancelotti told the press, reported via TMW.
“He’s doing a great job with this team. There are so many changes to the squad every year, but he always knows how to use the resources that he has. The work he is doing is spectacular.”
BERGAMO, ITALY - DECEMBER 06: Charles De Ketelaere of Atalanta celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Serie A match between Atalanta and AC Milan at Gewiss Stadium on December 06, 2024 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Giuseppe Cottini/Getty Images)
BERGAMO, ITALY – DECEMBER 06: Charles De Ketelaere of Atalanta celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Serie A match between Atalanta and AC Milan at Gewiss Stadium on December 06, 2024 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Giuseppe Cottini/Getty Images)
He continued: “Atalanta have done a great job. They compete in the Italian league as well as in Europe. They have done an extraordinary job. Atalanta always stay at a high level and this says a lot about the structure of the club and the quality of the coach.”
On his own team’s chances, Ancelotti said: “I have a lot of faith in the team and in my players. We have an objective to finish this year well. Tomorrow will be the toughest game in this cycle of matches before the end of 2024.
“There is no magic formula. I think the relationship between the coach and the club is crucial in achieving results. If things go well, it’s because that relationship works well. I am 100$ convinced of this.”
And on the form of Jude Bellingham, Ancelotti added: “Things haven’t really changed that much, we’re playing better up front and Bellingham is taking advantage of those opportunities.”
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