Gasperini writes chapters of history: he has two trophies in his sights in eight days. Svilar and luck helped Roma and then betrayed them
We dreamed of having already won this blessed Europa League that we never brought home. It happened when Atalanta were flying above Marseille with the giants’ confidence, superior and unassailable, and Roma were two goals ahead against unbeaten Bayer. In disbelief, we witnessed the sporting miracle that De Rossi’s team was performing in Leverkusen, deluding ourselves into invading Dublin with Nerazzurri and Giallorossi flags for a final of our own.
the cup we are missing
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Instead, nothing, a wrong exit and a carom shut down Roma and canceled the feat. The Cup is not ours yet. It will be up to Atalanta to try to take it, dispelling the curse of the Europa League which since it existed – 2009 – we have only come close to a couple of times, with Conte’s Inter and Mourinho’s Roma, but has always remained out of our hands borders. We have faith that the Bergamo players can succeed because nothing is forbidden to Gasperini, to his club, to these players who are both possessed and lucid, aggressive and orderly, offensive and balanced. Roma itself demonstrated that Bayer, never defeated throughout the season, is not insurmountable. If the Giallorossi had not rightly thrown themselves into the fray to try for the 3-1 which would have taken them to extra time, it is very likely that they would have won the match without conceding the equalizer on the counterattack. So why can’t Atalanta, the team of fulfilled dreams, manage to beat Xabi Alonso?
the reasons for doing it
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Atalanta and Gasperini have added another brick to their extraordinary adventure together. They have now built a wall. Of course, this is really special: the first European final that the Bergamo players have ever played. Anyone who thought that this club had a limit, anyone who believed that sooner or later the Dea phenomenon would deflate as usually happens to clubs from small towns that reach the top, must think again: Atalanta doesn’t stop, Atalanta is always bigger. What is about to happen between now and May 22nd is downright sensational: the Nerazzurri will play two finals in eight days, first in the Italian Cup against Juve and then in the Europa League against Bayer. A wonderful imaginary bridge will be built between Rome and Dublin, full of hopes, but also of facts, victories, goals.
the piece
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Gasperini must now take the last step, erase the zero – the only one he has left – in the box of trophies won. He maintains that it is not an obsession and certainly his path in Bergamo is not tainted by that emptiness, but being able to pick up a cup, kiss it, raise it to the sky would give a sense of completeness. A cup, yes. But they could – why not? – even be two. The victory against Marseille confirmed the greatness of Atalanta, who took control of the match as only the strong can do. He never got anxious, even when he couldn’t score; he built a lot without taking excessive risks; it hit and sank Olympique as soon as it had the chance and finally spread. The perfect match, we would say, nor should one think that the French were lesser opponents.
the regret
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The great regret for the elimination of Roma remains. Very few believed that it could call Bayer’s qualification into question after the 0-2 in the first leg, but instead De Rossi’s team succeeded by exploiting many components: tactical attention and a bit of bravado, the interventions of the goalkeeper and some moments of luck, and then the ability to exploit opportunities thanks to the coolness of penalty taker Paredes. In the finale, the elements that had kept her standing up until that moment mockingly condemned her: Svilar and good luck. De Rossi remains proud of having brought the team that dominated everywhere this year to the brink of elimination. It is not enough to give him joy, but to console him, yes.
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2024-05-09 22:26:24
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