Hans Hateboer has revealed he is looking forward to Atalanta's "most beautiful" match against Valencia in the last 16 of the Champions League this month.

Atalanta are through to the knockout stages of the prestigious tournament after qualifying from the group stage in their first attempt.

The Dea started off on the wrong foot, as they lost the three first legs of the competition and were heading for an early exit.

Hans Hateboer has revealed he is looking forward to Atalanta's "most beautiful" match against Valencia in the last 16 of the Champions League this month.

Atalanta are through to the knockout stages of the prestigious tournament after qualifying from the group stage in their first attempt.

The Dea started off on the wrong foot, as they lost the three first legs of the competition and were heading for an early exit.

But the wake-up call was picked up and the Nerazzurri turned their European season around, starting with a draw against Manchester City in Milan.

After following it up with another 2-0 win at home against Dinamo Zagreb and a 3-0 win over Shakhtar Donets in Ukraine, Gian Piero Gasperini’s men are ready to play Valencia in the last 16 of the tournament.

Hateboer revealed that they are looking forward to the game but the 26-year-old concedes that the whole month will be important for the Bergamaschi.

On Saturday, they travel to Florence to face Fiorentina ahead of an important match against Roma in Bergamo.

The Giallorossi are currently fifth, only behind fourth-placed Dea on goal difference, and that match arrives only four days before the historical match against Los Che in the Champions League.

“It will be an important month, as there’s also the big match against Roma at home,” the Dutch defender told Tuttomercatoweb. “But the one against Valencia will be very important, it’s the most beautiful of them all.

“It will be nice, and we hope there will be even more fans there. Now, we focus on Saturday’s game [against the Viola] and play to win that one.”

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