In Serie A, Atalanta has been obscure since 2010, overshadowed by the glitter of the Premier League and La Liga. However, in the 2019-2020 season, Atalanta shone on the European stage. The likes of Ilicic, Alejandro Gomez, Marinowski and Kjaer led the team to the last four of the Champions League at one point, creating one of the best results for a Serie A team.
Today, however, Atlanta has changed dramatically. Although the manager is still Gasperini, the team is not as strong as it used to be. In the 14th round of Serie A away to Torino, Atalanta suffered another setback. Torino is a sworn enemy of Juventus, having produced Serie A's most valuable player, Bremer and is known for his defensive solidity.
Atalanta are the polar opposite, with Gasperini's style of attacking boldness. However, Atalanta were completely overpowered by their opponents in this game, and to the disappointment of the fans, their former player Duvan Zapata scored two goals. Torino took the initiative from the start of the game, and in the 14th minute, Wojwoda tried to shoot from distance but couldn't hit the back of the net.
Atalanta centre-back Jimsetti was then forced off due to injury, and it wasn't until the 22nd minute that Torino opened the scoring and Zapata broke the deadlock with a pass from Vlašić. At the start of the second half, Atalanta suffered another setback, and Scalvini, who was once hailed as the best young centre-back in Serie A, fouled and sent a penalty, which was hit by Torino striker Sanafria to extend the score to 2-0. In the end, Torino beat Atalanta 3-0.
It was a game that will undoubtedly be deeply regrettable for Atalanta, who may regret why they loaned 32-year-old striker Duvan Zapata to Torino. The potential of these two young centre-forwards may have been misjudged by the team: De Ketelaere and Scamacca respectively. Scamacca has been in decent form, scoring five goals in 10 appearances for the team this season. However, it was De Ketelaere's performance that came as a surprise.
The 22-year-old striker had a strong start to the season but has been showing an up-and-down trend. On loan from Milan, he seems to have struggled to prove himself in Serie A.