After 7 matches, Barcelona has 18 points, ranking 2nd on the rankings. They are sure to have a ticket to the next round. However, coach Hansi Flick's team still wants to beat Atalanta - the team ranked 7th with 14 points at home.
“The Champions League is the most difficult competition to win. We want to win against Atalanta to finish second, which will give us an advantage in the second stage.
“I have a lot of respect for Gasperini and his work at Atalanta. He was there for many years; what he did was incredible. I admire his way of playing because it is unique in Europe. Atalanta always play bravely and we have to be careful with them. They also score a lot of goals,” said Barcelona coach Hansi Flick.
Compared to clubs like Juventus, Inter Milan or AC Milan, Atalanta does not have many titles in their history. They have not won the C1 Cup/Champions League like their 3 compatriots. However, coach Gasperini's team is highly rated, having won the Europa League last season.
“Atalanta play one-on-one all over the pitch. It’s not easy, it puts you under a lot of pressure. They also switch situations very quickly. So we have to be prepared for all of this. I’ve talked to the players about it and I hope we’ll make the right decisions,” Hansi Flick added.
This will be the first time Barcelona will meet Atalanta in the Champions League. In addition to the home advantage, the Spanish team also has a very strong attack, having scored 26 goals since the start of the tournament - the most of the 36 teams participating in the tournament. In particular, Robert Lewandowski (9 goals) and Raphinha (8 goals) are also leading the scoring list.
“We see Barcelona as the best team in Europe. Facing a team like Barcelona allows us to show our competitiveness. In the past, the team had not only Messi but also other great players. Barcelona is an incredible team.
“Now Flick is building the team in a very different way. Even if the formation has changed, Barcelona have not changed. They are still playing well and introducing incredible young talent,” Atalanta coach Gasperini said ahead of the match against Barcelona.
The match Barcelona vs Atalanta will take place at 3:00 a.m. on January 30.
