epa11761070 Atalanta’s coach Gian Piero Gasperini looks on during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Atalanta BC and AC Milan on December 06, 2024 in Bergamo, Italy. EPA-EFE/MICHELE MARAVIGLIA

Gian Piero Gasperini believes Atalanta “fully deserved” to beat Milan and accused Paulo Fonseca of trying to “distract” from the result. “Let the fans sing” about the Scudetto after nine wins in a row.

Gasperini continues to sit on the sidelines with Tullio Gritti on the bench due to his two-match ban, but this does not appear to be affecting his team’s form as they recorded their ninth consecutive win in Serie A tonight.

That’s a club record they had already set between February and July 2020 and puts them temporarily at the top of the table until Napoli face Lazio on Sunday.

Charles De Ketelaere and Ademola Lookman scored from set pieces at the back post to beat Milan 2-1, around Alvaro Morata’s equaliser.

“Obviously this is a great win against a team with undoubtedly very talented players who are among the best in the league and we absolutely deserved the win. “In a difficult game, all the statistics were in our favor,” Gasperini told Sky Sport Italia.

“Milan had a huge chance after a few seconds, and a minute later we had a big chance. To be honest, the equalizer was a bad move on our part, we allowed them to pass. We were worried about their pace and pressing, but for the most part we managed to neutralize those strengths and create some very good scoring chances ourselves.

“In the second half, Milan did less, but we never settled for a point, we never wasted time, never threw ourselves to the ground, we wanted to win the game and we were rewarded for that attitude.” In fact, Retegui would have been in Interruptions can score a third goal.”

Gasperini responds to the angry Fonseca

Milan coach Fonseca was furious in his post-match interview minutes before Gasperini took the microphone, accusing the referee of lacking respect for his team and steering the game in Atalanta’s direction.

“If this is an attempt to talk about something else and divert attention from the game, then that is his prerogative,” Gasperini replied.

“De Ketelaere’s goal was an extraordinary leap into the air. I can’t remember any other incident that was controversial, other than perhaps a few interjections.

“I would focus less on Milan and more on Atalanta’s performance. I may be biased, but I thought we absolutely deserved to win the game.”

The fans at the Gewiss Stadium chanted “We will win the Scudetto” at the final whistle, and even the coach is tired of trying to dampen that wave of enthusiasm.

“I don’t think it ever happened in Bergamo that they sang that after 15 games, so let them sing! We’ve never been top of the table this far into the season, they’ve had decades of problems, so let them enjoy it.

“The people of Bergamo have their feet firmly on the ground, so don’t take anything for granted. If we were still up after another 20 games it would be different, but from today’s perspective it is an expression of joy, and a well-deserved one.”

Gasperini has been at the club for practically a decade now. So is this his best Atalanta squad yet?

“It’s a completely different Atalanta. I still like all my teams, from the first one, which only had one player left – Toloi – to this version. The results were remarkable, but I’m not the person who can put these teams in any order.”

Atalanta take on Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday, where they remain unbeaten and are on course for a top-8 finish.

“Tomorrow we can watch the other games, then on Tuesday it will be another extraordinary evening for the city of Bergamo and for this club. The first goal of getting into the Champions League is close, but we can also set ourselves a little more goal.”

Atalanta lost to Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup in August, but are they favorites ahead of Tuesday’s clash?

“It’s subjective, I wouldn’t say that, but I’ll take anything tonight!” laughed Gasperini.