The head coach of Atalanta, Maurizio Sarri, made headlines ahead of the trip to Turin for their match against Juventus, revealing that his time winning the Scudetto in the 2019/20 season left him with negative memories.
Having managed the Bianconeri for just a year, a period interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Sarri offered a candid assessment of that challenging season in an interview with Sky Sport Italia:
It was a strange season, with almost empty stands from March due to the pandemic. Perhaps that's one reason I don't have fond memories of that experience. However, I have no regrets.
Now at the helm of Atalanta, Sarri is revamping the team, shifting away from their traditional formation of three central defenders. He pointed out that difficult starts have been a hallmark of his coaching career, with the exception of his time at Chelsea:
The situation is reminiscent of what happened at Empoli, where we found ourselves at the bottom after nine matches but eventually reached the playoff final for promotion. At Napoli, we only picked up two or three points in our first four games. I've faced such challenges throughout my career. The only positive start in my life came at Chelsea; in all other cases, it has always been tough. The reasons are clear: the more different the previous style of the team is from my vision, the harder the initial phase becomes.
Under Sarri’s guidance, Atalanta have recorded three victories, one draw, and two losses. The coach noted that the club hierarchy isn't focused on short-term results and is prepared for a steady, long-term project.
