Atalanta ended their friendly match against Pafos with a result of 3‑1, but the real attention was focused on coach Maurizio Sarri's comment. In the press conference held at the New Balance Arena, Sarri expressed satisfaction with the team's performance, highlighted the need to evaluate Raspadori's condition and praised the growth of players such as Zalewski and Pasalic.
The coach began by describing the situation of Raspadori, who suffered an injury in the national team and had to play three matches in one week. Sarri underlined that the team must carefully monitor his condition, as the recovery of a player like Bellanova is essential to maintain the pace of the game. “Raspadori must be evaluated to understand the situation well,” said Sarri, highlighting the importance of not tiring the player further in view of the next challenges.
As for the next match against Milan, Sarri acknowledged the difficulty of playing at San Siro against a team with "important individuals". He expressed confidence in the team's ability to overcome the challenge, but also reiterated the importance of recovering key players to continue the group's growth. The coach then spoke about Kolasinac, underlining his versatility in defense and his ability to contribute both as an external defender and as a central defender.
Sarri then spoke about Zalewski, defining him as a player ready to give his all for the team. He praised the growth of Pasalic, who after a long period of inactivity showed a high level performance. “We are happy to see their development and their willingness to contribute to the team's success,” Sarri said. He also mentioned Elmas as a fundamental "balancer" for the team and expressed pride in the debut of Idele, a young talent who has shown promising potential.
Finally, Sarri reflected on the management of the friendly match against Venezia, where Atalanta finished 3-3. He acknowledged errors in managing ball recovery and highlighted the need to improve defensive solidity. “The next step is related to solidity,” he concluded, indicating that the team will focus on this aspect in the next matches.