UEFA President Aleksandar Ceferin was commended by Atalanta in a statement for recognizing them as a “powerful European force” in football.
Atalanta has fluctuated between the lower divisions for the most of its existence but under coach Gian Piero Gasperini’s leadership, they have risen to the top and are now regulars in both Serie A and the Champions League.
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They achieved greatly in the previous season when they defeated Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 to win the Europa League, the Bergamo club’s first-ever UEFA title.
In light of this, they received accolades from UEFA President Ceferin at the European Club Association conference.
“Just look at Europa League winner Atalanta, a club from a region dominated by two giants,” said Ceferin.
“Against the odds, they have established themselves as a powerful European force.
Last season, they celebrated their first-ever continental title, an incredible achievement for a club that has been knocking on the door of greatness since 2020.
The compliments impressed Atalanta so much that President Antonio Percassi and CEO Luca Percassi released a statement expressing their “utmost gratitude” for the remarks, reports Football Italia.
Ceferin’s decision to single out Atalanta, one of the few teams in Europe’s major five leagues that manages to run at a profit when many others are in debt, was motivated by more than just jealousy.
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