Atalanta’s Dominant Display Against Bologna Boosts European Ambitions
Atalanta clinched their place in the Serie A standings with a solid 2-0 victory over Bologna on Sunday, strengthening their hopes for Champions League qualification next season. With Gian Piero Gasperini at the helm, they now find themselves four points clear of Bologna, who are currently in fifth place.
The match kicked off with an early goal from Mateo Retegui in the third minute, which proved to be crucial. Mario Pasalic followed up soon after, scoring his first league goal since November, with the help of a brilliant cross from Retegui that allowed Pasalic to volley the ball home in the 21st minute. Atalanta experienced a major turnaround recently, snapping a three-match losing streak during which they didn’t score a single goal. This victory was particularly significant as it marked their first goal in a home league match since early February.
After the game, Pasalic shared his relief, saying, “I’m really happy because it had been a few months since we last won here.” We need to make our home matches count in the final weeks of the season. Scoring straight away helped us because it gives you more freedom to play.”
Atalanta had entered this crucial match against a top-four rival without a Serie A win in Bergamo since before Christmas, but they delivered a mature performance at the Gewiss Stadium to finally secure a home win. Bologna, on the other hand, came into the match with strong momentum, having won five of their last six matches, and they were even unlucky to draw with second-placed Napoli the previous week.
The only downside for Gasperini was the injury to defender Sead Kolasinac, who had to be stretchered off with a knee issue just before halftime, adding to the long list of injury troubles faced by both the player and the team this season.
The attention shifted to the Rome derby, where Claudio Ranieri was set to manage his last match as Roma faced Lazio. Both teams were vying for Champions League qualification. Roma was in seventh place, six points behind Juventus in fourth, while Lazio was sixth, just two points ahead. The stakes were high, and the atmosphere was charged as fans looked forward to this fierce local rivalry..
