Atalanta striker Gianluca Scamacca praises Thursday’s Europa League opponents Liverpool as one the best sides on the continent, but believes that La Dea are capable of bettering anybody on their day.
The Italy international gave his preview to Sky Sport Italia ahead of Thursday’s quarter-final first leg, which will be played at Anfield, kicking off at 20.00 BST.
While Liverpool are the bookies’ favourites to lift the Europa League trophy come the end of the 2023-24 campaign, Scamacca is high in confidence after finding the net in both of his last two Serie A matches: a 3-0 away win over Napoli and Atalanta’s sole goal in a 2-1 loss to Cagliari at the weekend.
“I think that Atalanta can compete with anybody, no matter who is on the pitch,” Scamacca told Sky, reported via Gianluca Di Marzio.
“We will go there absolutely with the aim of competing and to try and get through to the next round.
“Liverpool are one of the strongest sides in Europe, they have plenty of different strengths.
“My qualities are a service to the team; dribbling, physicality, intensity. I hope, between now and the end of the season, to be of use and to help us achieve our goals.”
Thursday’s match against Liverpool will be Scamacca’s first back in England since leaving West Ham in favour of a Serie A return with Atalanta for a reported fee of €30m last summer.
He took to the field just once against Liverpool during his one-year spell in the Premier League, a 1-0 loss at Anfield in October of 2022.
Atalanta have not yet lost in the Europa League this season, including four matches against prospective Liverpool boss Ruben Amorim and his Sporting CP side, and so will be hoping for a positive outcome on Merseyside, even if they are the underdogs heading into Thursday’s clash.
#UEL | @Atalanta_BC, #Scamacca: "Il @LFC è una delle squadre più forti d'Europa, ma noi ce la giocheremo"https://t.co/ofvgXcXP40
— Gianluca Di Marzio (@DiMarzio) April 9, 2024