Rafaelle Palladino was brimming with pride after his side’s 1-0 win over Hellas Verona, and understood the task at hand when asked about a potential Champions League push.
After the game in which Davide Zappacosta’s 37th-minute strike proved to be the difference maker, Palladino addressed the media.
He began with a look back at his start at the club, and taking over a team ultimately struggling in the wake of Gian Piero Gasperini’s exit following nine years in charge.
“We were 13th, and we managed this comeback. I want to thank Atalanta for giving it their all.” The coach then focused on the results under his guidance, and returning to the European campaign: “We made a great climb after dropping a lot of points at the start. We did well in the Champions League, and in the league, we got everything back on track. We haven’t lost at home since the match against Inter.”
With this latest victory in Bergamo, Atalanta edge closer to the Champions League places. Palladino spoke about the fight for European competitions:
“We want to get to Europe. We have eight finals, which will determine our league position. Also, consider that we have the Coppa Italia, where we want to go all the way. We have to push hard. I’ll ask a lot of the players, and if we arrive with the right mentality, we can make history.”
