Just over a year after 바카라śGame Zero,바카라ť Atalanta is back in the knockout round of the Champions League. (More Football News)
Last year바카라™s match, against Valencia in nearby Milan, was the biggest in Atalanta's history. A short time later, military trucks were driving coffins out of Bergamo
Just over a year after 바카라śGame Zero,바카라ť Atalanta is back in the knockout round of the Champions League. (More Football News)
Last year바카라™s match, against Valencia in nearby Milan on Feb. 19, was the biggest in the club바카라™s history and a third of Bergamo바카라™s population made the short trip to San Siro for what turned out to be a 4-1 victory.
A short time later, military trucks were driving coffins out of Bergamo because the crematorium couldn바카라™t keep up as the small city became one of the epicenters of the coronavirus outbreak in Italy.
The match was dubbed 바카라śGame Zero바카라ť because of the spread of the disease that followed both in northern Italy and in Spain.
More than 40,000 fans inside the stadium enthusiastically celebrated each of Atalanta바카라™s four goals that day 바카라” the last time the team played in front of its own supporters.
On Wednesday, Atalanta will host Real Madrid in the first leg of the round of 16 in an empty Gewiss Stadium, which has been newly renovated.
바카라śIt certainly takes a lot away from us,바카라ť Atalanta forward Luis Muriel said.
바카라śI believe that for the people of Bergamo, not being able to be here at these great events 바카라” especially playing in our own stadium and not like last year when we played in Milan 바카라” is a great disappointment.
바카라śThese moments should certainly be shared with them. They have always been close to a team that for so many years always fought for the lower places. It바카라™s sad not to be able to play these matches with fans.바카라ť
There is a vast gap between 13-time European champion Real Madrid and Atalanta, which is making only its second appearance in the competition. But Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini believes that could help his team.
바카라śWe have the enthusiasm,바카라ť he said.
바카라śWe don바카라™t have their habit of playing these games but they have played against more famous teams than us.
바카라śFor us, it remains an event. We have some extra motivation.바카라ť
Atalanta has done well against more storied opposition before. The team beat Liverpool at Anfield in the group stage of this year바카라™s competition and was also minutes away from beating Paris Saint-Germain in last year's quarterfinals.
Real Madrid traveled to Bergamo with a squad decimated by injuries. Forward Karim Benzema did not recover in time and remained in Spain, along with Sergio Ramos, Eden Hazard, Marcelo, Dani Carvajal, Fede Valverde, Rodrygo Goes, Alvaro Odriozola and Eder Militao.
바카라śWe have to be very careful, because with all the absences that Real has I am convinced that we will find a team that is even more alert and even more focused,바카라ť Gasperini said.
바카라śReal is one of the strongest teams in the world. I can바카라™t really say how big a gap there is with us percentage-wise, but I can say we have always given something more in these type of games and stepped up a level.바카라ť
(AP)