Atalanta BC will face Club Brugge on February 19th in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League knockout round qualifier, as the Italian side aims to reverse their fortunes and secure progression to the round of 16.
The match will take place at Gewiss Stadium where Atalanta, under the guidance of manager Gian Piero Gasperini, seeks to build on their home advantage after failing to win the first leg of the tie. They were handed a frustrating defeat to Club Brugge (2-1) earlier, thanks to controversial refereeing decisions.
Gasperini has fired up his squad reminding them how much is at stake. “To overcome Club Brugge, we must raise our level of performance significantly,” he stated, highlighting the importance of drawing lessons from the first encounter. The team failed to capitalize on opportunities after leveling the score, which culminated with Brugge securing late victory through a penalty.
Meanwhile, Atalanta is preparing without defenders Odilon Kossounou and Giorgio Scalvini, and striker Gianluca Scamacca, who remains unavailable. The situation is compounded by concerns over the fitness of star player Ademola Lookman, who returns from injury but may initially be on the bench, as well as Isaac Hien, whose muscle issues require careful management.
Gasparini has stressed the need for discipline and resilience against the Belgian opposition who impressed during their recent matches, including victories over both Manchester City and Sporting Lisbon. “They have young talents capable of changing the game's tide, so we need to be focused,” he remarked.
With expectations high, all eyes will be on Atalanta to produce their best performance of the season. The team has had mixed results recently, including disappointing draws, which has potentially dulled their title aspirations within Serie A.
For Club Brugge, manager Nicky Hayen has called for his players to exploit any weaknesses presented by Atalanta. His squad consists of players returning from injury, such as midfielder Raphael Onyedika, who will be pivotal alongside Ardon Jashari to control the midfield.
The away team may also see contributions from forward Ferran Jutglà, who scored in the first leg. Despite their success, Hayen is aware of the pressure of maintaining their lead. “We just need to avoid losing. A draw will be enough to see us through,” he stated confidently.
This match is not only significant for progression but also for the teams' psychological edge moving forward. Atalanta is aiming to qualify for the knockout stages for their second time, having previously flaunted their talent on European shores.
The stakes could not be higher as Atalanta has struggled for form and confidence, managing only one win out of their last six matches across all competitions. Their recent draw against Cagliari did little to boost morale as they appeared somewhat disjointed.
On the other hand, Club Brugge arrives with confidence from their recent performances, including maintaining their unbeaten run at home and their status as reigning Belgian champions.
While historically Atalanta displays stronger home records, the team will have to establish dominance right from the beginning if they wish to overturn the aggregate score and progress.
The match will kick off at 3 AM local time and will be available to watch on K+ Sport and K+PM. Fans are eagerly anticipating what has all the makings of a thrilling and intense sporting encounter.