Atalanta are in crisis just days before the UEFA Europa Super League showdown with Real Madrid, losing 3-0 to St. Pauli with Nicolò Zaniolo injured and Mateo Retegui making his debut.
This has been a very rough summer for La Dea, starting with the devastating ruptured anterior cruciate ligament that ruled Gianluca Scamacca out for six months.
That happened during a 4-1 friendly defeat to Parma and they signed Retegui from Genoa to replace him.
However, Zaniolo was forced out of this evening’s trip to Hamburg by tendonitis in the left foot, the same area that suffered a fracture to end his hopes of representing Italy at EURO 2024.
It was another dismal performance from an Atalanta side in disarray, who got to half-time on level terms with St. Pauli and then crumbled after the break.
They conceded three goals in under 25 minutes with visible defensive errors on a set play, then a gift from Isak Hien and a chaotic attempt to deal with the third.
At least Retegui got to make his debut in the second half, playing for 45 minutes.
To make matters even worse, Teun Koopmeiners did not make the journey because coach Gian Piero Gasperini confirmed he is trying to force through a transfer to Juventus.
It is the worst possible way for them to prepare for the prestigious UEFA European Super Cup against Real Madrid in Warsaw on Wednesday August 14.
They earned that opportunity after winning the Europa League, getting to play the Champions League holders.
St. Pauli 3-0 Atalanta
Eggestein 58, Afolayan 68, Boukhalfa 71
Atalanta: Musso (Carnesecchi 78); de Roon (Manzoni 78), Djimsiti (Hien 46), Kolašinac (Godfrey 72); Zappacosta (Palestra 72), Pasalic (Toloi 72), Ederson (Sulemana 72), Ruggeri (Cassa 78); De Ketelaere (Bakker 72), El Bilal (Retegui 46), Lookman (Vavassori 78)
Scamacca and Zanoilo are not big losses. Koopmeiners and Scalvini are.
Atlanta will bounce back and gives Real Madrid a tough time when they meet for Super Cup. Ademola Lookman will spring surprises as he did in UEFA Uropa final
Ben Godfrey will sort out all this