Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini has assured that his side will not take the second leg of the Europa League quarter-final against Liverpool lightly despite having a 3-0 lead.
Speaking ahead of the match, the Italian gaffer said: “This is one of the most important matches, maybe the most important even, in the history of Atalanta.
“But in the match itself you then have to know how to isolate yourself from these sorts of thoughts. So we have to play as if we had not won 3-0 in the first leg. Losing is unacceptable, and in the Europa League this year we have not lost.
“We will go on the pitch as if we have to win qualification against a team to beat at any cost. We have great spirit, great enthusiasm, and last week we beat at home a team undefeated for a long time and first in the Premier League.”
Liverpool have the ideal chance to rejuvenate their campaign by doing a spectacular comeback against Atalanta, having overcome such odds in Europe under Jurgen Klopp in the past – coming back from a 3-0 deficit against Barcelona to win the second leg by a 4-0 margin to move into Champions League final in 2019.
