Atalanta hit Verona for six

On Tuesday, Napoli travel to the San Siro to face AC Milan, who sit sixth and will not play this weekend after Saturday's match at Bologna was postponed due to torrential rain and flooding. Bologna and its surrounding areas are still reeling from a massive downpour over last weekend which claimed the life of a 20-year-old man.

On Friday, Serie A president Lorenzo Casini said the match would likely be played in February due to the two clubs' Champions League commitments and Milan's involvement in the four-team Italian Super Cup which will be played in Saudi Arabia in early January.

Atalanta celebrated Gian Piero Gasperini's 400th match as coach by destroying Verona 6-1 with a stunning display in which they raced into a five-goal lead in just over half an hour.

Marten de Roon, Charles De Ketelaere and doubles from Serie A top scorer Mateo Retegui and Ademola Lookman fired Atalanta up to fourth, level on 16 points with Juventus, and made up for Wednesday's frustrating goalless draw with Celtic in the Champions League.

"We were disappointed with the Celtic game as we created loads. Today we scored plenty of goals," said Retegui who has scored 10 times in his first nine league matches with Atalanta.

"It's down to the faith shown in me by the lads and the fans. I've got a lot of teammates with a lot of experience who have helped me integrate well into the team."

The hosts went ahead in the sixth minute when De Roon thumped home Lookman's cross, and the match was effectively over by the 14th minute after Retegui and De Ketelaere both curled in fine left-footed strikes.

Verona got the treatment Celtic should have suffered and coach Paolo Zanetti looked shellshocked on the sidelines as Lookman first skipped past three players and drilled home at the near post before tapping in Ederson's low cross in the 34th minute.

Amin Sarr scored a consolation goal in the 42nd minute and Atalanta took their foot off the gas after the break, only adding to their score once through a Retegui tap-in.

 

October 26, 2024