Atalanta’s campaign goes from bad to worse with another home defeat, this time to high-flying Hellas Verona, which leaves European qualification in serious doubt.
Last week had already been deeply disappointing after their Europa League quarter-final exit to RB Leipzig, with Rafael Toloi, Joakim Maehle and Josip Ilicic unavailable, while Hellas welcomed back Antonin Barak after an illness.
It was a well-worked team move for the first chance, Ruslan Malinovskyi surging forward in a give and go with Duvan Zapata to sting Lorenzo Montipò’s gloves.
Gianluca Caprari fired over, while Davide Zappacosta and Ivan Ilic wasted from promising positions.
Verona came so close on 25 minutes, Marco Davide Faraoni sliding in at the back post to meet a Darko Lazovic cross, volleying it onto the upright.
Moments later, Caprari also grazed the frame of the goal, his free kick bouncing off the top of the crossbar.
Juan Musso stuck out a leg to deny Giovanni Simeone at the near post, but Koray Gunter was hauled off by Igor Tudor just 30 minutes in after risking a second yellow card for hauling down Duvan Zapata. Malinovskyi followed as he sustained a knee injury.
Duvan Zapata volleyed wide after a knockdown from 10 yards, as did Hans Hateboer after a good run from Jeremie Boga.
Verona had the ball in the net on the stroke of half-time when Federico Ceccherini nodded in a Simeone dink over the goalkeeper. The offside flag was raised, but VAR corrected the decision and allowed the defender his first ever goal for Hellas.
Duvan Zapata went close again by drilling inches wide, but the second goal was an odd stroke of luck. Ivan Ilic combined with Adrien Tameze to get into the box, his shot hit Musso’s leg, ricocheted back off Teun Koopmeiners and into the net.
It was very nearly 3-0 moments later, Musso this time with the crucial save on Lazovic, while Montipò got down to palm a Jose Luis Palomino header off the line.
Kevin Lasagna came off the bench and immediately thumped the upright with a ferocious long-range effort.
However, Atalanta got back into it with Giorgio Scalvini’s free header from 12 yards on a Zappacosta cross.
Zappacosta went for it himself, a half-volley skimming the near top corner, but the late push was not enough to avoid a fourth defeat in the last five competitive games.
Atalanta 1-2 Verona
Ceccherini 45 (V), Koopmeiners og 55 (V), Scalvini 82 (A)