Europa League, Atalanta flies to the semi-finals: painless defeat against Liverpool 0-1

Bergamo, 18 April 2024 - Just a small initial scare with the penalty Salah after five minutes, hands of Ruggeri, then another great match in the wake of Anfield makes it fly Atalanta in the semi-final of the Europa League. La Dea flies among the best four and mathematically hands fifth place in the Champions League to Italy. Another feat for the Goddess who makes Bergamo dream and is a candidate, why not, to get to the end and Serie A will have two out of four teams in the semi-finals. It's a big celebration at the Gewiss Stadium and it's the second European semi-final in history after the one in 1988 in the Cup Winners' Cup and after the near miss in the Champions League in the midst of the pandemic. The team of Gasperini now they will face the winner of Marseille-Benfica. The Reds set out to immediately reopen the game after the scoreless first leg, but apart from the initial slip, Gasperini's men managed the advantage they had accumulated at Anfield in a great way.  

Salah opens

Gasperini leaves De Ketelaere out and launches Miranchuk paired with Scamacca, to finish off Koopmeiners. Behind Kolasinac is the starter. Klopp with heavy artillery with Gakpo first striker with Salah and Diaz, while Allisson returns in goal compared to the first leg. We start immediately at a frenetic pace with all-out duels, on one side the Liverpool wants to score an immediate goal to reopen the game, on the other hand Atalanta is aware that the start of the match can impact the rest of the match. The Reds succeeded in their attempt and won a penalty following a naive touch of the arm by Ruggeri from Alexander Arnold's cross after five minutes. It goes from the diskette Salah for the benefit. Atalanta risks derailing because shortly afterwards they enter the Gakpo side Diaz, this time Musso puts a patch. It's a long time to get to the 90th minute like this. The Reds are forcing themselves and start re-aggression after every lost ball, effectively taking the ball away from the Goddess who is forced to play an adverse role, i.e. defend herself. Gasp's men have an opportunity on a lost Liverpool in the disengagement, but the pot of Chess for Miranchuk is stopped by Allison, with the Russian missing the final decisive control. Difficult start for the Bergamo team in a match in terms of intensity reversed compared to the first leg, especially for Liverpool there is Szobozslai who is a factor on the right half together with Alexander Arnold, both with the intention of putting Ruggeri in difficulty. As the minutes passed, the Goddess seemed to be able to tame Liverpool's attack better, having shaken off the tension a bit, so in the central phase little happened on the goalkeepers' side and in the 28th minute a diagonal miranchuk slides a little to the side. Definitely more balanced match even if Liverpool remains dangerous when on a counterattack Salah tries to post for Diaz, there is the sumptuous intervention of Djimsiti to save everything. The guests try to come back at the end of the first half and Atalanta is too hasty with a couple of ball managements, not finding the right pattern to get to Allison's side with any construct. The opportunity for Klopp's team came in the 39th minute when the Dea defense opened up in front of them Salah, who badly wastes a lob, which was easy for him, on Musso's exit. What a fright. The hosts, however, found the goal in the 41st minute with koopmeiners assisted by De Roon, but the position is offside and the referee rightly does not validate. It's 0-0 at half-time.  

Atalanta holds on: it's the semi-final

The second half opens with a great opportunity Atalanta on a scrum in the penalty area and with many Atalanta players, but no one finds the right shot, even hindering each other, and in the end the right-footed shot Ederson it is weak and central. It could have been done better. The match remains balanced, even if Liverpool often gives the impression of being able to do badly with the quality of their forwards, but Gasperini's rearguard remains focused and attentive and closes everything that needs to be closed. The Goddess is there and in the 60th minute she escapes Zappa costa restarting, then swerving for koopmeiners who shoots from the left but the shot is central. Gasperini's team prevailed in the central phase of the second half, with greater vigor and pace than Liverpool who seemed to have calmed down the fury at the beginning of the match. Klopp goes with the changes and chooses Diogo Jota, Elliott and Nunez to try to revive his team, but the Goddess has the right intensity to not suffer and indeed create dangers in Allisson's area, as with Chess who fires a right foot high after great action on the wing by Zappacosta. Gasp also changes for the last quarter of an hour with De Ketelaere and Pasalic on the pitch, while Klopp goes with Gomez in place of a very tired Alexander Arnold. Minutes pass and there are no opportunities and Klopp unbalances the team even more with the youngster Danns forward and moving Gakpo to full-back, but apart from a few high balls little happens. Klopp's changes and the changes do not have the desired effect Liverpool it goes out like a candle thanks to the energy of one Atalanta always at par, or superior, in pace of play and management. Under the pressure of the Gewiss Stadium, Atalanta completed the mission, flew to the semi-finals and arithmetically gave Italy fifth place in the Champions League. The Goddess tames the great favorite of the competition and eliminates her. There has never been a more beautiful defeat. What a feat.  

scoreboard

Atalanta-Liverpool 0-1

Atalanta (3-4-1-2): Musso, Djimsiti, Hien, Kolasinac; Zappacosta, De Roon, Ederson (29' st Pasalic), Ruggeri; Koopmeiners; Miranchuk (33' st Lookman), Scamacca (29' st De Ketelaere). All. Gasperini. Available: Adopo, Bakker, Bonfanti, Carnesecchi, Hateboer, Holm, Rossi, Toloi, Toure. Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson, Alexander Arnold (26' st Gomez), Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson (33' st Danns); Szoboszlai (21' st Elliott), Jones, Mac Allister; Salah (21' st Nunez), Gakpo, Diaz (21' st Diogo Jota). All. Klopp. Available: Adrian, Clark, Endo, Gravenberch, Kelleher, Quansah, Tsimikas. Scorers: Salah 7' Booked: Hien, Diaz, Koopmeiners, Zappacosta Sent off: