Gasperini Denies Contract Situation Affecting Atalanta's Form

Atalanta's third consecutive defeat raises concerns about their Champions League hopes, but coach Gian Piero Gasperini denies any link to his contract situation.

Atalanta suffered their third consecutive defeat on Sunday, which has damaged their chances of securing a Champions League spot. However, manager Gian Piero Gasperini has dismissed any suggestion that the team's recent slump is connected to his decision not to renew his contract. Gasperini, who has been at the helm since 2016, has a contract that runs until June 2025 with an option to extend it by a year.

Gasperini addressed the speculation after Atalanta's 1-0 loss to Lazio, saying, “This is stupid. After those words we won 5-0 against Empoli and 4-0 against Juventus. It seems a convenient thing to throw in like this. Last season I signed in August, after the first game of the championship. This thing has nothing to do with it, it is an attempt to look for alibis.” Gasperini's comments suggest that he believes the team's recent results are not related to his contract situation, and that he is focused on the team's performance on the pitch.

Full-time@acqua_lete | #AtalantaLazio 0-1 FT #GoAtalantaGo ⚫️🔵 pic.twitter.com/vJkdGNMD5z

— Atalanta B.C. (@Atalanta_BC) April 6, 2025

Atalanta's struggles continued as they experienced a chaotic moment during their match, with forward Ademola Lookman being mistakenly substituted while the team was pushing for an equalizer. “Ederson was supposed to come off, we made a mistake with the numbers, today wasn't our day,” Gasperini explained. “We weren't able to intervene before Lookman came off.”

🎙️ "Questa squadra reagirà"

💬 Gasperini's post-match interview#AtalantaLazio #GoAtalantaGo ⚫️🔵

— Atalanta B.C. (@Atalanta_BC) April 6, 2025

Atalanta's fortunes have taken a significant turn, having previously topped the table but now finding themselves in a tight battle for a top-four spot, which would secure Champions League football next season. “Going from the Scudetto dream to this dimension is right, this is the dimension of Atalanta,” Gasperini said. ”We are fighting for third and fourth place. We have to find enthusiasm by understanding that this has always been the goal. We have seven games to play, we are still in it.”