Atalanta Gain Confidence After Napoli Win, Palladino Asserts

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Atalanta boosted belief and league ambitions with a 2-1 comeback victory over Napoli at New Balance Arena, a result that also lifts confidence before the Champions League play-off second leg against Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday, where Atalanta trail 2-0 from the first meeting.

The success moved Atalanta to 45 points, just one behind fifth-placed Juventus and five adrift of Napoli in third, while also stretching Atalanta’s unbeaten Serie A run to nine matches, with seven wins and two draws during this strong sequence.

The match against Napoli featured two major VAR interventions involving Rasmus Hojlund and Isak Hien that shaped the contest and stirred debate, with Napoli and Antonio Conte angered by the decisions, although Raffaele Palladino defended both the officials and Hien’s actions.

Moments after the second half started, Miguel Gutierrez scored past Marco Carnesecchi following effective work by Hojlund on the right, but the goal was cancelled after a VAR check ruled that Hojlund had pulled back Hien in the build-up, leaving the Napoli bench frustrated.

Tension had already risen late in the first half when Hojlund went down under Hien’s challenge inside the box; referee Daniele Chiffi initially awarded a penalty to Napoli yet later overturned the decision after consulting the pitchside monitor, adding further controversy to the Atalanta Napoli clash.

As Napoli’s protests grew, Palladino backed Hien and the referee team, stressing what Hien reported about the duel with Hojlund and why Palladino considered the call correct in such a high-pressure Serie A meeting between Atalanta and Napoli.

"As far as I am concerned, my player is one-on-one with Hojlund, Palladino began. He had the advantage in terms of position. He told me that his arm was pulled back, and that sent him to the ground.I think its a foul, clear and evident, there is contact. I understand Napoli's position, but I don't see anything wrong with that. It seems pretty clear to me that Hien was pulled down. Look, it was a good game of football.I don't want to talk about incidents. It was a real battle, and we're very happy."

Earlier, Napoli had gone ahead on 18 minutes when Sam Beukema met a cross with a precise header, yet Atalanta responded after the interval as Mario Pasalic struck his 50th Serie A goal shortly after the hour, drawing the hosts level and changing the momentum.

The decisive moment arrived on 81 minutes when substitutes Lazar Samardzic and Lorenzo Bernasconi combined, with Samardzic finishing the move for Atalanta’s winner, giving Atalanta a first home league victory over Napoli since a 4-2 success in February 2021.

Samardzic’s late strike not only settled the Atalanta Napoli encounter but also kept Atalanta firmly in the race for a top-four place, reinforcing a strong run that includes important results against direct rivals in the Serie A European qualification battle.

Atalanta Napoli impact on confidence and Champions League hopes

Palladino linked Atalanta’s display against Napoli to a wider improvement since taking charge, pointing out that Atalanta had lost 3-1 to Napoli three months earlier but had since built a long unbeaten league sequence and a stronger sense of belief within the squad.

"I think the team has gained belief in its capabilities, as we faced Napoli three months ago and lost 3-1, Palladino told DAZN Italia. But from there, we started this journey together with many positive performances and difficult moments.There is a great deal of self-confidence now. We are very happy with this performance. We proved that we are up there, too, for the top four. We want to keep growing and climbing. This game can also give us precious energy for the Champions League play-off."

The win over Napoli therefore serves as both a crucial domestic result and a psychological lift before facing Borussia Dortmund, with Atalanta needing to overturn a 2-0 deficit, while also maintaining momentum in the Serie A race for Champions League qualification.