Gian Piero Gasperini is ‘honoured’ to be up for the Ballon d’Or for coaches and needs a brand new look Atalanta to placed on a ‘celebration’ towards Fiorentina of their revamped stadium.
It kicks off on Sunday at 14.00 UK time (13.00 GMT) on the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo.
That is their first dwelling fixture of the season, as they’d been pressured to journey whereas reconstruction work was accomplished on the sector.
“I feel an important factor for us is enjoying in our stadium after 112 days away,” mentioned Gasperini in his press convention.
“It’s a improbable construction, I feel tomorrow can be a celebration and we should recognise that Antonio Percassi will stay an important man within the historical past of Atalanta. This stadium was a gesture of affection from him in direction of everybody. Individuals all the time discuss stadiums for the industrial income, but it surely was to present the followers their very own dwelling.”
Gasperini is a candidate for many necessary man within the membership’s historical past too, as he took them from relegation strugglers to Europa League winners and common Champions League rivals.
It additionally earned him a nomination for the Ballon d’Or given to coaches, the place he’s up towards Pep Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti, Xabi Alonso, Luis de la Fuente and Lionel Scaloni.
“That is a unprecedented consequence for me, recognition inside soccer on the world stage. It isn’t only a reward for profitable the Europa League, I think about it one thing representing my profession and all I’ve finished in these years.
“It is a gigantic recognition, an important honour, I’m very grateful to all those that helped me obtain this.”
Gasperini and Atalanta continue to grow
Atalanta have stuttered to date this season amid an harm disaster and switch chaos, however lastly have a settled squad now that the break for worldwide obligation is over.
“We signed lots of new gamers during the last 10-15 days, however from right here on there can be no extra switch interruptions, we’ll attempt to amalgamate the squad. Nicolò Zaniolo has to catch up from the harm, so it’s a brand new begin for him too.
“We’ve bought 10 new outfield gamers and that most likely wasn’t what we needed, however that’s the way it occurred and we have to rebuild from that. We’ve bought to shortly assemble the very best staff from these new traits.”
Fiorentina are coached by one of many many former Gasperini gamers who discovered from his model of soccer, Raffaele Palladino.
“Raffaele already did effectively at Monza with two necessary seasons, I’m satisfied he has the intelligence and functionality to enhance this Fiorentina facet. I’m additionally glad that Robin Gosens is again in Italy, there had been a number of phrases exchanged with Atalanta, however he went to Fiorentina.
“It will be a troublesome and balanced recreation, final season we beat them within the Coppa Italia semi-final, they’ve added Moise Kean, Andrea Colpani and Albert Gudmundsson, confirming their ambition.”
Atalanta are within the new, expanded Champions League format and can begin subsequent Thursday towards Arsenal in Bergamo.
“Europe is far more difficult now, it has the very best groups in Europe and the brand new format can be fascinating. I nonetheless suppose it’ll take over lots of our ideas, however we are able to convey that type by to Serie A,” concluded Gasperini.
