Atalanta Settles for Draw Against Kairat Almaty as Sarri Addresses Squad Issues
Maurizio Sarri remarked that Atalanta will ultimately “take the point” against Kairat Almaty, despite a frustrating display that included conceding a “stupid goal.” He expressed hopes for better Conference League qualification prospects once the squad has more players available.
Atalanta needed a win to uplift both their spirits and their Conference League standing after a previous victory over Pafos and a 2-0 loss to Ajax. However, they could only manage a single point at home against Kazakh team Kairat Almaty.
After falling behind to a well-executed counter-attack from Marc Gual, Atalanta managed to equalize through substitute Nikola Krstovic.
Sarri Forced to Manage with Limited Options
Speaking after the match, Sarri stated, “If you have 14 players out at the same time and you consider this a week to relaunch the season, that seems tough,” according to Sky Sport Italia.
He added, “We had 10 players injured today, plus four who the medical staff advised should not be used for more than 30 minutes. We could’ve won tonight if we hadn’t conceded a stupid goal; thereafter it was an uphill battle.” He expressed relief that his team did not give in and fought until the end for a positive result. “It became a struggle as we moved the ball too slowly and failed to find spaces against a very defensive opponent,” Sarri remarked. “Despite the difficulties, we take the point and aim for qualification later in the tournament once more players are available.”
Atalanta currently faces a challenging stretch, having not won in their last seven matches across Serie A and the Conference League. Following a disappointing 3-0 home defeat to Parma, the team entered a three-day training retreat.
When asked whether he had expected more from his players, Sarri acknowledged the circumstances: “One always expects a lot from his players. Gianluca Scamacca was injured, so I only saw him train for the first time yesterday; it’s hard to anticipate much from him right now. Undoubtedly, I expected better from a few players, but we are in a period of playing eight games in 23 days with a limited squad.”
This transition has been challenging for Sarri, as implementing his distinct coaching style contrasts sharply with the approach of former coach Gian Piero Gasperini. The ongoing injury crisis has compounded the difficulty of this adjustment. Sarri noted, “Clearly, this is a significant transformation, and with added complications like these… Tonight we played with two defenders from the Under-23 team who have primarily experienced Serie C, alongside Kamaldeen Sulemana, who returned only recently from an injury sustained on August 2.”
“It’s tough since none of the players have a history with me, making an already complex transition even harder,” he concluded.
