Sarri: Atalanta sat too deep, but Roma will challenge for the title
Quick summary
Maurizio Sarri criticized Atalanta for playing too deep while backing Roma as genuine Scudetto contenders this season.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceMaurizio Sarri admits Atalanta ‘sat too deep’ to defend their lead against Roma and were made to pay with a 2-1 defeat. ‘I think they’ll challenge for the title to the very end.’
La Dea went into this game having won both Serie A fixtures somewhat against the run of play, and came so close to doing it again at the Stadio Olimpico.
ROME, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 05: Gianluca Scamacca of Atalanta reacts with Manu Kone of Roma during the Serie A match between AS Roma and Atalanta BC at Stadio Olimpico on September 05, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images) Ederson had fired in at the dawn of the second half, with Marco Carnesecchi making decisive saves, and the woodwork twice denying Santiago Castro.
However, Roma secured all three points in added time thanks to a Mario Hermoso looping header and Matias Soulé low drive at the near post.
Sarri and Atalanta impressed by Roma ROME, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 05: Ederson of Atalanta celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with teammates during the Serie A match between AS Roma and Atalanta BC at Stadio Olimpico on September 05, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images) “The performance required a lot of suffering under pressure, but we were up against the form team in Serie A so far this season, who I think will challenge for the title to the very end,” Sarri told Sky Sport Italia.
“We knew it was going to be difficult, we held out under pressure, but then sat too deep in the final half-hour, perhaps we were running out of steam. We leave here glad that we caused problems to the very end for a Roma side that really impressed me.”
You can check the Football Italia Player Ratings for Roma 2-1 Atalanta
Once Roma got the equaliser, they poured forward and managed to turn the game around within three minutes.
“If you sit too deep against a team with this quality, you are going to suffer, and unfortunately we paid the price for that. We believe that we are improving, but Roma are currently a step above.”
ROME, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 05: Nikola Krstovic of Atalanta is challenged by Evan Ndicka of Roma during the Serie A match between AS Roma and Atalanta BC at Stadio Olimpico on September 05, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images) Atalanta did have the opportunities to double their lead on the counter-attack, but did not bring on new signing Jonathan Rowe for his debut.
“Unfortunately, we were left with the last two substitute slots and needed them for players who simply couldn’t reach the end. We had to use up the changes, but these things can happen during a game,” explained Sarri.
ROME, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 05: Mario Hermoso of Roma celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the Serie A match between AS Roma and Atalanta BC at Stadio Olimpico on September 05, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images) There was tension after the final whistle, and Gianluca Gaetano appeared to receive a red card for dissent, so will be suspended next week against Cagliari.
“Gaetano didn’t say anything to the referee, that’s what I was told, so I think the referee confused him with someone else. Everyone around him said it was an error from the referee and he said nothing,” insisted the coach.
Source attribution: this article content is based on the linked publisher feed/source. Chance adds independent soccer context, impact analysis, entity links, and related news.
What happened
Maurizio Sarri has weighed in on the Serie A title race, commenting that Atalanta's defensive approach was a mistake while expressing belief that Roma have the quality to mount a serious title challenge. The remarks come amid an increasingly competitive top of the table in Italy, with several clubs still in contention. Sarri's comments add a notable voice to the debate about tactical approaches and title credentials in Serie A.
Chance analysis
Sarri's public assessment of Atalanta's tactics and Roma's title credentials carries weight given his stature in Italian football. The criticism of Atalanta for sitting deep signals a broader debate about whether pragmatic defending can sustain a title challenge in Serie A. Meanwhile, his endorsement of Roma adds legitimacy to the growing sense that the Giallorossi are genuine contenders, not merely dark horses, this season.
Sarri's remarks may boost confidence around Roma's title bid while casting doubt on Atalanta's tactical approach among neutrals and analysts.