Sarri: 'I've dismantled Atalanta's old way of playing, time is no longer an excuse'
Quick summary
Maurizio Sarri claims he has successfully dismantled Atalanta's traditional playing style at his club, stating that time is no longer a valid excuse for any shortcomings.
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Attributed to original sourceMaurizio Sarri says time is no longer an excuse for Atalanta, and admits he has dismantled the way of playing that brought the club so much success.
With quotes via TuttoMercatoWeb , the Atalanta coach spoke to Corriere di Bergamo ahead of Monday’s visit of bottom side Venezia, the only team in Serie A without a point.
Atalanta won their first two league games under Sarri, who took over in the summer, but have lost the last three. That leaves them 11th on six points, with just five goals scored.
“I hope the break has done everyone good. Against Venezia I want to see us play football. I’ll say it clearly: time is no longer an excuse. At Atalanta I found players used to achieving great results in a certain way, and I’ve deconstructed that way of playing. I understand there’s a bit of confusion, but the team just needs to get going. The more we play, the more natural it will all become.”
BERGAMO, ITALY – AUGUST 31: Maurizio Sarri, Head Coach of Atalanta reacts during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and Bologna FC at Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia on August 31, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) Sarri on De Ketelaere, Scamacca and Krstovic Goals are the main concern, and Sarri wants more from his attackers, including Charles De Ketelaere , who reportedly wants to play through the middle.
“Certainly everyone up front has to improve their attacking output. From the trequarti forward, the attackers need to take more initiative to make the difference. From Rowe, as well as help in the defensive phase, I expect him to play like a bucking horse up front. De Ketelaere wants to play as a centre-forward? Maybe I’ll lock him in a room with Scamacca and Krstovic, and whoever comes out alive can play centre-forward! I’m joking, obviously. As soon as he’s back I’ll talk to him and we’ll work out what other position we can find for him. But I certainly can’t abandon Scamacca and Krstovic.”
BERGAMO, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 12: Atalanta BC coach Maurizio Sarri reacts during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and Parma Calcio at Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia on September 12, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) Despite the poor run, Sarri still believes his squad can challenge for European qualification.
“For now we’re in no-man’s land, but I remain sure that ours is a competitive squad, one worthy of fighting for Europe. So far, though, we haven’t shown we deserve it, and that’s a regret. We have to play football and overcome our fears. We need to take a step forward and stop ‘walking on eggshells’, as I say. Then we’ll only have tactical errors left, and those can be fixed with a couple of training sessions.”
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What happened
In a media appearance, coach Maurizio Sarri asserted that he has fundamentally changed his team's approach to counter Atalanta's well-known tactical identity. Framing 'time' as a factor that has now been overcome, Sarri appears to be signaling that his squad has had enough preparation and tactical recalibration to neutralize Atalanta's pressing and movement-based system. The comments carry a confident, almost defiant tone and are likely connected to a recent or upcoming fixture against the Bergamo side.
Chance analysis
Sarri's remarks underline a deliberate tactical project: reshaping his squad's structure to neutralize one of Serie A's most distinctive systems. By publicly declaring that Atalanta's trademark identity has been 'dismantled' at his club, he both credits his own coaching work and sends a message to opponents and the league. The statement matters because Atalanta's identity under Gasperini has shaped Italian tactical discourse for nearly a decade, and any coach claiming to have decoded it is making a bold, reputation-defining claim.
Sarri's team is projected as a stronger stylistic matchup against Atalanta, potentially reducing Atalanta's usual tactical edge in their next meeting.