Atalanta's Recent Poor Performance Not Linked To Contract Talks, Claims Gasperini

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Atalanta's recent struggles in Serie A have sparked discussions about Gian Piero Gasperini's future with the club. Despite their third consecutive league loss, Gasperini dismissed claims that his contract situation is affecting team performance. Atalanta's 1-0 defeat to Lazio marked their third straight game without scoring, a streak not seen since 2014 under Stefano Colantuono.

Gasperini, who has managed Atalanta since 2016, insists his contract status is unrelated to the team's form. "This is stupid," he told Sky Sports. "After those words we won 5-0 against Empoli and 4-0 against Juventus." His current deal runs until June 2025, with an option for an additional year.

Atalanta's recent home form has also been concerning. They have failed to score in four consecutive home matches for the first time since late 2004. Despite these setbacks, the team remains third in Serie A with seven games left. However, they face pressure from Bologna, Juventus, and Lazio for a Champions League spot.

During the match against Lazio, a substitution error added to Atalanta's troubles. Ademola Lookman was mistakenly replaced by Lazar Samardzic instead of Ederson. Gasperini acknowledged the mistake: "Ederson was supposed to come off; we made a mistake with the numbers."

Earlier in the season, Atalanta led Serie A ahead of Inter and Napoli but have since slipped behind the top two teams. Gasperini remains optimistic about securing a top-four finish. "We are fighting for third and fourth place," he told DAZN. "We have seven games to play; we are still in it."

Despite recent setbacks, Gasperini remains focused on achieving Atalanta's goals this season. He emphasised that reaching third or fourth place has always been their target and believes they can regain momentum in the remaining matches.