Giuntoli confident Atalanta on right track under Sarri
Quick summary
Atalanta's leadership expresses confidence that the club is moving in the right direction following the appointment of Maurizio Sarri as manager.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceAtalanta director Cristiano Giuntoli is ‘confident we’ve made the right decision’ hiring Maurizio Sarri, and explains why Eljif Elmas is ‘a Joker in the pack.’
The match with Sassuolo kicks off at the New Balance Stadium at 19.45 UK time (20.45 CEST).
You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s four Serie A games on the Liveblog.
BERGAMO, ITALY – AUGUST 20: Giacomo Raspadori of Atalanta BC competes for the ball with Mor Buskila and Shahar Piven of Hapoel Tel Aviv during the UEFA Conference League 2026/27 Play Off Round First Leg match between Atalanta BC v Hapoel Tel Aviv at Gewiss Stadium on August 20, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) La Dea had a rough start to their season when held to a 0-0 draw in the first leg of the Conference League play-off by Hapoel Tel-Aviv.
That confirmed the shift to Sarri’s 4-3-3 formation after more than a decade using the three-man defence is proving to be a little tricky.
Giuntoli trusts Atalanta on right track BERGAMO, ITALY – AUGUST 20: Atalanta BC coach Maurizio Sarri looks on during the UEFA Conference League 2026/27 Play Off Round First Leg match between Atalanta BC v Hapoel Tel Aviv at Gewiss Stadium on August 20, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) “It isn’t such an easy change for these players to Sarri’s ideas, but they are following him and we are confident we’ve made the right decision,” Giuntoli told DAZN Italia.
It has been a busy summer for the Bergamo side, who saw veterans like Berat Djimsiti leave, but they brought North Macedonia international Elmas back to Serie A.
NAPLES, ITALY – FEBRUARY 15: Eljif Elmas of SSC Napoli battles for possession with Bryan Zaragoza of AS Roma during the Serie A match between SSC Napoli and AS Roma at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on February 15, 2026 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images) “We have many talented centre-backs, yesterday we signed Eljif Elmas, a lad who Sarri knows well. He’s a Joker in the pack who can play on the wing or in central midfield,” continued the Atalanta director.
“There was an opportunity with Elmas and we gladly took it. We’ve always thought about this type of player, so we moved quickly also thanks to him.”
Injuries are already piling up, as this evening against Sassuolo they are missing Thomas Kristensen, Isak Hien, Honest Ahanor and Kamaldeen Sulemana.
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What happened
Atalanta's sporting director Giuntoli has publicly backed the club's trajectory under new head coach Maurizio Sarri, signalling institutional confidence in the project. Sarri took charge of Atalanta and Giuntoli's endorsement suggests the club hierarchy is aligned on the direction despite the challenges of implementing a new philosophy. The comments come as Atalanta look to reassert themselves as a top contender in Serie A.
Chance analysis
Endorsements from a sporting director carry weight in Italian football, where alignment between the bench and the boardroom is often a prerequisite for sustained success. Giuntoli's public backing of Sarri suggests Atalanta are willing to give their new coach time to imprint his possession-based identity on a squad that has traditionally thrived under more dynamic, transitional setups. How quickly Sarri can reconcile his methods with Atalanta's existing talent — and whether the results follow — will define the next phase of the club's evolution in Serie A.
Atalanta gain managerial stability and clarity of project, with Sarri likely afforded time to implement his tactical identity without immediate pressure.