From our correspondent Vincenzo Di Schiavi
December 22, 2024 (changed at 8:02 pm) – BERGAMO
Counter-overtaking. Tiring as never before, but if someone like De Ketelaere emerges, anything is possible. Atalanta responds to Napoli, defeating Empoli's beautiful and courageous football thanks to the final magic of their star player. Double for CDK, 5 goals in the championship and 10 in the season. Eleventh victory in a row for the Goddess who returns to the top and enjoys the dazzling creativity of her blonde phenomenon.
EMPOLI IS THERE
—
Gasperini displays the CDK-Retegui-Lookman trident, while behind is Djimsiti in place of Hien. In the middle Pasalic fills the void left by De Roon's disqualification. D'Aversa also has to give up Viti (in addition to the strikers Solbakken and Pellegri) so he launches a three-man defense with Cacace on the left. The midfield line is five-man but with the three central players, Henderson, Grassi and Anjorin, very aggressive in attacking spaces. At the start, Empoli's reactivity bogged down Atalanta's pace, too cumbersome in building from the bottom. Djimsiti's touch in front of goal and Ederson's twist after a combination with Lookman are false signals. It is the Tuscans who dictate the rules of the match. Carnesecchi gets ahead of Colombo by a whisker, then in the 12th minute Empoli passes: the Nerazzurri sleep on a throw-in, Henderson receives it all alone in the area, crosses low to the center for Colombo who freezes Carnesecchi. Goddess coldly struck and a little out of phase. Retegui sits down due to a muscle problem, grits his teeth, tries, but at the second stop (“pull” left thigh) he has to give way to Zaniolo. The Nerazzurri's reaction is angry but lacks clarity. Kolasinac's header: Vasquez and the post say no. The Henderson, Grassi, Anjorin triad continues to immobilize Pasalic and Ederson's every thought. We therefore directly look for the depth of the strikers with Zaniolo placing himself between Lookman and De Katelaere. Thus, the equalizer arrives, thanks above all to the creativity of the individuals. Zappacosta crosses from the midfield, nice movement by Zaniolo who opens the gap for CDK's head, relentless in punishing Cacace's delay. Here is the shock that defrosts Atalanta: the verticality made at pace by Dea sends Empoli to the ropes. Djimsiti hits the post with his head, then Lookman, until that moment unrecognizable, places the shot. From yet another cross, Zaniolo serves Ademola with his chest, whose speed is a sentence for Goglichidze and Ismajili. Thus we go to half-time with the Dea in front, despite a slow first half. The greatness can also be seen from these details.
The entire Enilive Serie A is only on DAZN. Watch all the matches
MAGIC OF CDK
—
Empoli's playfulness remains a constant, especially now that they have to recover, while Atalanta remains conservative. CDK and Ederson come close to the post, but Djimsiti's touch on Grassi in the area becomes a penalty after Feliciani's trip to the monitor. 56th minute: Esposito holes Carnesecchi and it's back to parity. Gasp puts on Samardzic, Hien and Ruggeri, D'Aversa responds with Fazzini and Maleh. The pace remains high, the structures are the same with Empoli giving up the field but not clarity in the face of Atalanta's pressure. Gasp inserts Cuadrado in place of Bellanova. It is played in only one trocar, the Empoli one. The fort holds. Actually no. Because there is little that can be done against hard and pure talent. 86th minute: De Ketelaere dribbles everyone like skittles and then finds the bottom corner. Phenomenon. Curtain.
