Papu Gomez explains when Atalanta realised they needed to ‘step up a gear’ in the Champions League. “Nobody expected us to get this far.”
La Dea are in their first ever Champions League campaign and lost the opening three group games, but completed a remarkable comeback to not only qualify, but also eliminate Valencia in the Round of 16.
“We realised after the first three games that what we were doing was not enough,” Papu told Fabio Cannavaro in an Instagram Live chat.
Papu Gomez explains when Atalanta realised they needed to ‘step up a gear’ in the Champions League. “Nobody expected us to get this far.”
La Dea are in their first ever Champions League campaign and lost the opening three group games, but completed a remarkable comeback to not only qualify, but also eliminate Valencia in the Round of 16.
“We realised after the first three games that what we were doing was not enough,” Papu told Fabio Cannavaro in an Instagram Live chat.
“When we understood that we needed to step up a gear, that’s when we started doing really well.”
They’ve been unstoppable ever since, as after a 1-1 draw with Manchester City, Atalanta won their next four Champions League matches on the bounce, scoring 13 goals and conceding five.
“It’s disappointing that the tournament had to be interrupted, as we are fourth in Serie A and in the Champions League quarter-finals, so we’re in a good position.
“We were also a little lucky to pick Valencia in the draw, because they were on our level. If we’d been up against Liverpool, it might’ve been different.
“Having said that, nobody expected us to get this far, especially after the first three defeats.”
During the conversation, Cannavaro confessed he had tried to sign Gomez for his Guangzhou Evergrande club, but the Argentine is committed to Atalanta.