Atalanta's ambitions of claiming their first Scudetto since 1963 suffered a blow on Sunday after they fell to a 2-0 defeat against Inter Milan at the Gewiss Stadium. The outcome not only pushed Atalanta six points behind the Serie A leaders, Inter, but also intensified the discussion surrounding the contentious red card issued to their goalkeeper, Ederson.
This was the latest chapter in what has become a frustrating rivalry for Atalanta against Inter. Despite their aspirations to be atop the Serie A standings, they were left to rue missed opportunities as they lost their eighth consecutive match against the Nerazzurri.
Gian Piero Gasperini's side started this leg of the Serie A season confident, knowing they could have tied Inter and Napoli atop the table with a win. Things began to unravel when Carlos Augusto netted the opener with a free header from Hakan Calhanoglu's corner shortly after the match resumed following a six-minute stoppage for a medical emergency involving a fan. Lautaro Martinez sealed the game with another goal before the end, making it nearly impossible for Atalanta to recover.
The game, which many anticipated would be fiercely contested, turned excessively heated after Ederson received two yellow cards, eventually leading to his controversial sending-off for dissent. Following the match, Gasperini voiced his frustration over the officiation, stating, "The red card ruined the end of the game, which is a shame for not just my team, but for the opponents and any people watching. There really was no need to go there, it was unnecessary and the game was still open with basically 20 minutes left. The referee was over the top with Ederson, because there were other yellow card incidents earlier…some referees ignore it and pretend not to see it. The game was ruined after the red card.
The situation escalated, with Gasperini himself being sent off for expressing displeasure with the officiation soon after the incident. Alessandro Bastoni, who received two yellow cards for Inter, completed the referee's busy night.
Despite the outcome, Gasperini insisted Atalanta was not diminished by the defeat: "We do not emerge from this match in any way diminished, because we were up against one of the best sides in Europe. We played with courage, tried to fight for only one result." Atalanta now finds themselves six points adrift of Inter and five clear of Bologna, firmly entrenched in third place.
On the other side, Inter's manager Simone
downplayed discussions around his team's potential shortcomings following the critics prior to the match. The Inter coach pointed to his players' determined performance as evidence of their perseverance, stating, "Clearly, we played a great game," and voiced satisfaction with their performance throughout. "We came here with personality and could have closed it out earlier. But we came to play against an Atalanta side in incredible form, and we gave little away to the opposition. We haven’t achieved anything yet, but these players deserve praise. ").
Carlos Augusto's contribution to the match cannot be overlooked either, as he played the pivotal role of scoring the opening goal just after halftime. "We knew they were a tough team and playing here is really difficult," he stated after the match. "But our group approached the game very well and controlled it from the start. That made the difference." His sentiments were echoed by goalkeeper Yann Sommer, who noted the performance was significant for not only the points but for instilling momentum as they go forward. "At the end of the day, it’s win like any other, but we had other chances too, and we could have won by bigger margin," he added.
Looking forward, Inter finds itself at the top, four points clear of Napoli, with the next match against Udinese looming on the horizon and the Coppa Italia still within reaching distance. They continue to spearhead their title defense as the league enters its final stretch.
For Atalanta, the goals for the remainder of the season are clear. They must recover quickly from this setback and approach the remaining games with resilience. With another nine matches still to play, Gasperini calls on his squad to find strength during their upcoming endeavors. "We must find the strength to play these final nine games at our best,” he stated. "We should’ve been more concentrated. When games are this balanced, moments can make the difference."
Despite the defeat, both clubs leave the match with much to reflect on as their paths could diverge dramatically as they navigate their remaining schedules.
