Champions League? Europa League? No, "Avoid relegation." That's the first ambition of Giampiero Gasperini. The Atalanta manager wants to start again from zero, without Pindaric flights. "We must think about the rest after: it requires humility, that it's not a sense of weakness or lacking stimuli. What we did remains, but the goals we'll set on the road we pave."
For the match against SPAL, Gasperini asks for concentration: "There are many unknowns and difficulties, but we want to start strong. The squad is feeling well, but the first matches are always the most difficult to understand. We've trained a lot, everyone is working and it wasn't easy, due to the heat. We need to start the season to remove our doubts. We are able to confront matches with the most knowledge. Globally, I see strong teams, there's the attempt from everyone to improve themselves."
On the formation: "We have Ilicic and Castagne out. Tomorrow we'll meet many of our former players: it will not be an easy match, but we cannot be wrong with our behavior. We can play with Papu and others, too. Zapata will be there, Muriel will start on the bench. Skrtel? He arrived late, but will give us a hand."
On the market: "I don't have the faintest idea if it's closed. Reca and Pessina won't be there tomorrow, all of the guys that may leave. There's still things to understand about Barrow and Ibanez. It's not easy to insert players, notwithstanding their qualities. But I don't think about it. The important thing is to begin now. It'll be a great match, for me and the players."
