Percassi: ‘Atalanta always play our football’

Atalanta director Luca Percassi is not concerned by the surprise decision to leave Capocannoniere Mateo Retegui on the bench against Napoli. ‘We will try to play our football, as we always do.’

It kicks off at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona at 11.30 GMT.

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s four Serie A games on the Liveblog.

“It’s going to be a very difficult match against the top of the class, but we will try to play our football, as we always do,” Percassi told DAZN.

La Dea have become a powerhouse of Italian and European football over the last few years under Gian Piero Gasperini, repeatedly renewing the squad despite developing and then selling big names.

“We always tried over the years to make up for sales with big investments, there is also hard work from the coach and staff. We have a system at Atalanta that helps players to settle in and join a well-drilled outfit.”

Atalanta surprise Napoli

Their best signing of the summer was Retegui, who is top scorer in Serie A with 10 goals, but he is surprisingly left on the bench to begin with at the Stadio Maradona.

It is a decision from Gasperini to surprise the solid Napoli defence and provide few reference points with the trident attack.

“Games last 90 minutes, so as always the coach will try to use all his players to get the best out of this match and the substitutes could well be decisive this afternoon.”

Luca Percassi and his father Antonio have been the ideal stewards for Atalanta, having played for their hometown club before becoming directors, then sharing ownership with American investor Stephen Pagliuca.

“As a family, my father and I both grew up in the Atalanta youth academy, so this club is part of our lives and family from the start. We are also now supported by the Pagliuca family, but we are from Bergamo, we care for Atalanta like a child. We try to build something that will last over the years.”