Gian Piero Gasperini is satisfied with Atalanta‘s draw against Villareal but was convinced La Dea could win it when Francis Coquelin was sent off.
“I think it was an excellent game, played well by both sides,” Gasperini told Sky Sport Italia after Atalanta’s 2-2 draw against Villareal in their opening Champions League match.
“I am satisfied, we played against a great team. We are sorry for that goal, but we played really well, especially in the first 30 minutes. We were strong enough to keep the ball possession because if you lose the ball too many times against them, they can punish you.”
Former Arsenal man Coquelin was sent off after a double yellow card in minute 84.
“I was convinced we could win it when we went one man up, then, in the end, Juan Musso saved us,” Gasperini continued.
What Manchester United defeat vs. Young Boys means for Atalanta
“Attacking players are crucial, especially with five subs. The defenders can be tired because they are usually not substituted, so sometimes those coming off the bench can create trouble for them.”
Young Boys are the group leaders now after their surprising 2-1 win over Manchester United.
“Young Boys must be respected, it’s never easy to play against them in an artificial pitch,” Gasperini said.
Last weekend, La Dea suffered a 2-1 defeat against Fiorentina and will face Salernitana away on Saturday.
“You don’t find many teams that sit deep even in Serie A, so the games are always open. The defeat against Fiorentina was determined by some incidents that go against us too often in Italy.
“We trained with three players for ten days during the international break, but it’s not an excuse. I think we can improve, we have three league games now and we must improve.”