"Yet on Sunday they could not save themselves from defeat to Sassuolo. This ought to have been so much easier. Their opponents were a man down from the 16th minute, when Andrea Pinamonti was sent off for a studs-up challenge on Berat Djimsiti. Perhaps Atalanta let complacency creep in, multiplied by exhaustion from their midweek exertions."
"Atalanta are an established force in European football these days. They only made their Champions League debut in 2019 but have now participated in five of the last seven editions. When they missed out in 2023-24, they won the Europa League instead, thrashing Xabi Alonso's previously undefeated Leverkusen in the final."
"An excellent result for Grosso's side who have now won five of their last six games. A very damaging one for Raffaele Palladino's Atalanta, whose team would end the weekend six points adrift of the top four. Qualifying for next season's Champions League will be difficult for the last Italian team standing in this year's competition."
Atalanta defeated Dortmund 4-1 on Wednesday to secure Italian representation in the Champions League last 16, overturning a two-goal deficit. However, their momentum stalled on Sunday when they lost 2-1 to Sassuolo despite their opponents playing with ten men from the 16th minute after Andrea Pinamonti's red card. Sassuolo scored through Ismael Kone at a corner and Kristian Thorstvedt with a top-corner finish. Atalanta pulled one back via Yunus Musah but could not equalize. The defeat proved costly, leaving Atalanta six points behind the top four. Sassuolo's resilience under Fabio Grosso, who has guided them to five wins in their last six games, proved decisive.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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