Atalanta manager Maurizio Sarri expressed disappointment with his side’s attacking performance following a goalless stalemate against Hapoel Tel Aviv in the Conference League playoff’s opening leg. While acknowledging the result fell short of expectations, Sarri highlighted positive aspects of his team’s display during the Thursday evening fixture at home.
The Italian tactician criticized his attacking players for overthinking their approach and lacking decisive action in the final third. Sarri specifically pointed to wing play as an area requiring substantial improvement, singling out wingers Giacomo Raspadori and Zalewski for showing insufficient boldness when in possession. He noted that midfielders Gaetano and Samardzic performed well, though Ederson required greater tactical discipline despite remaining crucial to the team’s structure.
The match was hampered by an early injury to Italy international Giorgio Scalvini, who was substituted off in the first half with an ankle problem. Debutant Thomas Kristensen, recently acquired from Udinese, impressed as a replacement despite needing further tactical refinement. Sarri acknowledged that several squad members, having featured at the World Cup, had returned to training later than their teammates, contributing to current difficulties.
Looking ahead to the return fixture, Sarri remained optimistic about his team’s potential, describing them as fundamentally solid. However, he emphasized the necessity for the squad to demonstrate greater attacking courage if they hope to progress past the Israeli opponents.
Originally reported by Sports.yahoo →
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