Atalanta-Cagliari 0-2: another rossoblu blow. And now the music is heard

© photo by Antonello Sammarco / Image Sport

Cagliari hears the music of the Champions League. And it does so in a game that today is incredibly a direct confrontation. Whatever the schedule of the day, the Sardinians know with certainty to be in cohabitation even in fourth place in the standings. Against Atalanta, Maran's men play a game of great maturity, helped also by good luck. And the afternoon in Bergamo really showed that it helps the bold.

NANDEZ OUT, OLIVE SPACE Cagliari that presents itself without fear, leaving an important player like Nandez on the bench. The technician prefers Oliva and is repaid widely. But it is not the only novelty: Cacciatore is preferred to Faragò while Lykogiannis occupies the left wing of defense with Pellegrini disqualified. Ceppitelli does not recover, space again for Klavan. Gasperini has to think about the Champions League, with Manchester City coming: Hateboer at rest, with Castagne to occupy the right lane. De Roon is disqualified, Pasalic is confirmed in the middle of the field. In front of Muriel, a shirt is taken from the holder, assisted by Gomez and Ilicic.

THE AUTHORITY AND THE EXPULSION It is clear from the first minutes that the concentration of the orobics is not maximum: Palomino immediately messes up and Simeone almost punishes him if it were not for Gollini who puts a piece in it. Djimsiti and Chestnuts avoid the worst on Rog and Joao Pedro and finally the goal arrives equally, in Gialappa's style: Lykogiannis punishment from the right, deviation before Palomino and finally Pasalic to overtake the goalkeeper. Atalanta can only be seen in a flare by Gomez who finds the crossbar, six minutes after the Cagliari advantage. The expulsion of Ilicic for absurd reaction foul by Lykogiannis at 39 'again extinguished the Nerazzurri, now forced to chase for the whole shoot with one man less.

OROBICI WITHOUT A GOAL FOR THE FIRST TIME Gasperini immediately plays two changes in the interval: out a disappointing Gosens, inside Hateboer with Castagne moved to the left. But above all, outside the Papu Gomez, to make room for Malinovskiy. The Ukrainian acts between midfield and trequari and is a good choice because the initiatives all pass by his feet. But this is Cagliari's day, which with a lethal counterattack at 58 'doubles: Oliva, who advances with the ball and serves Simeone in depth. The Argentine, in the background, enters the area and serves the ball in the middle, the veil of Joao Pedro and here is the insertion of the Uruguayan who exceeds Gollini and scores the first goal in Serie A. The Atalanta despite the passive and the numerical inferiority is not going to go wrong in front of its public, Gasperini inserts Barrow but in the end it is Cagliari that can spread, in the final with substitute Nandez on which Gollini intervenes. The midweek round and the Champions on the doorstep weighs, physically and mentally for Atalanta, which is not the perfect machine to which it has accustomed us. Hat off for this Cagliari, able not only to go to win against the team that expresses the best football in Italy, but to have been able to go out without conceding nets. For the record, until today Atalanta had scored at least two goals at each game. Cagliari for Gasperini's Atalanta is like the kryptonite for Superman: third consecutive victory in Bergamo. With today's match, the men of Maran are nominated as the island's answer to the Goddess.