Gian Piero Gasperini won’t rule Atalanta out of any objective as they prepare to face Lazio in the Coppa Italia and Serie A. ‘We are all aiming for the maximum result.’
It kicks off on Wednesday at 16.45 GMT, the winners will go on to face either Napoli or Spezia in the semi-finals.
By a curious twist of fate, Atalanta and Lazio will play again in Serie A this weekend.
Gian Piero Gasperini won’t rule Atalanta out of any objective as they prepare to face Lazio in the Coppa Italia and Serie A. ‘We are all aiming for the maximum result.’
It kicks off on Wednesday at 16.45 GMT, the winners will go on to face either Napoli or Spezia in the semi-finals.
By a curious twist of fate, Atalanta and Lazio will play again in Serie A this weekend.
“I fear Lazio in both tournaments! They have always been protagonists in recent years, it is also a meeting between teams who have the ambition of qualifying for the Champions League,” Gasperini told RAI Sport.
“We are trying to stay in every competition for as long as we can. There is a little curiosity at facing them twice in a few days, but we are all aiming for the maximum result here.”
These clubs famously clashed in the Coppa Italia Final two years ago, and both have reached the Champions League Round of 16 this season.
Atalanta are also fresh from a huge 3-0 victory over Serie A leaders Milan.
“That result inevitably gives us great joy. We were eagerly awaiting this match with Milan and came out of it really well against the side that has done better than anyone in this first half of the season.
“We have to take it one game at a time. We’re in the group that’s right behind the top two and our objective is to stay as close to them as possible. As time goes on, we’ll see what our targets are then.”
Hans Hateboer and Mario Pasalic are out of the Atalanta squad to face Lazio tomorrow, as Gasperini confirmed the Dutchman has an injury to his ‘metatarsal, which is a very sore area’ of the foot.
Atalanta squad for Lazio: Rossi, Sportiello, Gollini; Toloi, Maehle, Sutalo, Palomino, Gosens, Caldara, Romero, Djimsiti, Ruggeri, Scalvini; Freuler, De Roon, Malinovskyi, Pessina, Gyabuaa, Miranchuk; Lammers, Muriel, Ilicic, Zapata