Gennaro Gattuso maintains Atalanta ‘might’ve conceded six or seven’ against Napoli today and assures he is ‘angrier than anyone’ they didn’t get to play Juventus. ‘I would’ve used this line-up.’
The Partenopei utterly dominated the match, above all in the first half, leading 4-0 through a Hirving Lozano brace, Matteo Politano and Osimhen strike.
Gennaro Gattuso maintains Atalanta ‘might’ve conceded six or seven’ against Napoli today and assures he is ‘angrier than anyone’ they didn’t get to play Juventus. ‘I would’ve used this line-up.’
The Partenopei utterly dominated the match, above all in the first half, leading 4-0 through a Hirving Lozano brace, Matteo Politano and Osimhen strike.
“I know what a team Atalanta are, so no, I didn’t expect it. We prepared well, though, Osimhen gives us a big hand when playing with four against four upfront,” Gattuso told Sky Sport Italia.
“I saw great determination, eagerness to get the ball back. Atalanta are one of the teams that can win the Scudetto, because others might’ve conceded six or seven today, but they stayed in the game, kept pushing and countered when they had the chance. That shows their quality.
“As for us, it’s too early to say, especially with COVID ready to change everything from one moment to the next. Bakayoko hadn’t played for a while, we are testing out a new system, so we have vast room for improvement.
“Lozano had already scored, but it was Osimhen’s first goal. He had helped us to win in Parma when coming off the bench, he brings us a few alternatives and he can put the ball in the net too.
“Bakayoko has this technique that is all his own, because he has this first touch and long legs that make him break away from you in the midfield and he’s tough to catch. I argue with my players, but I hold no rancour, so we learn and keep going.”
Napoli technically won all three of their Serie A matches this season, but the Week 3 trip to Juventus will go down as a 3-0 defeat and the club was docked a point too.
They will appeal the verdict, but Gattuso assures the narrative that Napoli didn’t try everything to make the journey to Turin is not true.
“They don’t let me talk, but I like to talk. I’m angrier than anyone that we didn’t travel, because Juventus are right now the team to beat, but also a work in progress.
“I would’ve used the same line-up I had tonight, other than Bakayoko, who hadn’t arrived yet. Until 6.55pm, we were on the bus and ready to leave. I am angry that we didn’t travel and I can assure you we did everything possible.
“I said let’s go and at worst lose 3-0 on the field, but at least it’s on the field. The last I heard, we were going to play and then it all changed.”