Palladino: ‘Enchanted night for Atalanta, the pivotal moment we required’
BERGAMO, ITALY – JANUARY 03: Raffaele Palladino, Atalanta’s Head Coach, and Gian Piero Gasperini, AS Roma’s Head Coach, exchange greetings during the Serie A clash between Atalanta BC and AS Roma at New Balance Arena on January 03, 2026, in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Getty Images)
Raffaele Palladino thinks Atalanta experienced a ‘flawless and enchanted night’ with their 1-0 victory over Roma, viewing it as ‘the pivotal moment we required’ this season. The environment in the New Balance Arena was charged with emotion due to the return of Gian Piero Gasperini, Palladino’s mentor, who had spent nine years coaching in Bergamo. Giorgio Scalvini met a corner to score the opening goal, while a controversial moment arose from Gianluca Scamacca’s disallowed goal for offside in the build-up, which seemed to lack interference in the play. Palladino commends Atalanta’s performance. BERGAMO, ITALY – JANUARY 03: Raffaele Palladino, Atalanta’s Head Coach, observes during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and AS Roma at New Balance Arena on January 03, 2026, in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Getty Images) “Without a doubt, it was a flawless and enchanted night for us, one that the squad and club deeply desired, to commence 2026 positively,” Palladino shared with Sky Sport Italia. “Roma boasted the best defensive record in Serie A and an outstanding coach, yet we executed a true Atalanta performance, filled with intensity and bravery. That is what I had requested, what we prepared for, and I am exceptionally proud of my players. They deserved this win.” Sead Kolasinac exited in the first half due to a left knee injury, and Scalvini also sustained a muscular issue, but the unexpected highlight was Nicola Zalewski taking on a more advanced position. BERGAMO, ITALY – JANUARY 03: Raffaele Palladino, Atalanta’s Head Coach, observes during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and AS Roma at New Balance Arena on January 03, 2026, in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Getty Images) “I received a strong response from everyone today. I have faith in meritocracy. We lost Kamaldeen Sulemana a few days ago to a bruised knee, so Zalewski made himself available and performed well,” Palladino explained. “All who came on, like Ahanor, Hien, and Musah, did very well; Bernasconi was exceptional, and De Roon remained focused after receiving an early yellow card. The only disappointment is that we didn’t score a second goal, but it was satisfying to win through some adversity.” Check the Football Italia Player Ratings for Atalanta 1-0 Roma. La Dea secured their first victory of the season against one of the Serie A powerhouses, having faced challenges in recent encounters with these prestigious teams. “We started very strongly with great intensity and physicality, effectively keeping Roma pinned back. I believe we truly deserved to net more goals in the first half,” Palladino elaborated. “Honestly, I couldn’t comprehend why the Scamacca goal was ruled out. Regardless, we were aware there might be a drop in intensity after half-time, which would allow Roma more possession, but we were ready and faced minimal risk. The Giallorossi created almost nothing in their attack.” BERGAMO, ITALY – JANUARY 03: Gian Piero Gasperini, AS Roma’s Head Coach, reacts during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and AS Roma at New Balance Arena on January 03, 2026, in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Getty Images) Though Gasperini was Palladino’s previous coach and mentor, tensions arose between them on the sidelines toward the end of the match. “These moments occur on the pitch; we know each other well; he was my coach during my playing career. It wasn’t anything significant,” reassured the Atalanta manager. Palladino took over from Ivan Juric on November 11 and has revamped Atalanta, achieving seven victories and three defeats across all competitions. “My ambition is to return Atalanta to where they rightfully belong, but when I took over the team, we were sitting in 13th place. We’re definitely in a better standing now, but more importantly, I feel we are on a positive trajectory, and tonight’s performance against a formidable opponent marks the pivotal moment we needed. “Currently, we are striving to recover lost ground; we are competing in the Champions League, Coppa Italia, and Serie A, so we will give our utmost in every tournament.”
Published: 2026-01-03 22:36:00
source: football-italia.net
