Sarri Prepares for Challenging Atalanta Match Against Hapoel
Maurizio Sarri is not dressing this up. Atalanta go into Thursday’s Conference League play-off return against Hapoel Tel Aviv knowing a single mistake could undo everything, after a cagey 0-0 in the first leg at the New Balance Arena.
He expects a demanding evening and wants his players walking a tightrope: confident, but not arrogant.
“It’ll be a difficult match, we saw that in the first leg, but we have to be convinced we can do it,” Sarri told Sky Sport Italia, via TuttoMercatoWeb. “Clearly without becoming presumptuous. We want to play in a European competition. It’ll be tough against a team in great physical condition.”
The pressure is obvious. Atalanta are at home in Europe now, and crashing out in August is not part of the plan.
De Ketelaere dilemma
There is good news, with Charles De Ketelaere back in the squad. The bad news: he is nowhere near 100%.
“He’s trained very little after the small adductor problem,” Sarri admitted. “He did half an hour in the league, his usage will have to be partial. I don’t know whether to start him or bring him on, also because we don’t know how long the match will last.”
That uncertainty says a lot. This is a tie that could drag deep into the night, and Sarri knows he has to manage every minute of his key attackers.
Scamacca or Krstovic?
The centre-forward role is just as open. Gianluca Scamacca or Nikola Krstovic? Sarri is still weighing it up.
“I haven’t decided yet,” he said. “They’re doing well and both seem to be improving. Over the season they’ll alternate based on who is in better shape, then we’ll also play them together.”
It is a luxury problem, but on a knife-edge evening like this, the first decision up front could define the rhythm of the entire game.
Hapoel threat unchanged
Hapoel Tel Aviv arrive with real European momentum. Elyaniv Barda’s team have already knocked out Ludogorets and GKS Katowice to reach this stage, and they will not be intimidated by another away assignment.
The second leg will be played at a neutral venue in Hungary rather than in Israel, a twist that removes some of the traditional home advantage but does nothing to blunt Hapoel’s intensity.
Sarri is not expecting surprises from them, which might be even more dangerous.
“They gather well and then break well,” he said. “I don’t think they’ll change their attitude much, we’ll see.”
Compact, organised, ready to counter. Atalanta will have to force the issue without walking into the trap.
Defence still learning Sarri’s code
If there is a concern, it lies at the back. Sarri did not hide from it.
“It’s still lacking, there’s no point saying otherwise today,” he said of his defenders’ grasp of his demands. “The most difficult moment will be when they think they know how to do certain things and instead they still aren’t able to.”
That is the tightrope again. Belief without illusion. Atalanta want the Conference League, they expect to be there, but Hapoel have already shown they are happy to drag bigger names into uncomfortable territory.
On Thursday night, we find out whether Sarri’s new-look side are ready for European tension – or whether this play-off becomes an early warning about the season ahead.
