After being hailed for 'saving Italian football' with a stunning 4-1 Champions League win over Borussia Dortmund, Atalanta suffered a 2-1 defeat at Sassuolo in Serie A on Sunday. The midweek heroics, which overturned a two-goal first-leg deficit, left the team visibly drained as they failed to replicate their European form in domestic action.
Sassuolo were reduced to ten men in the 16th minute when Andrea Pinamonti was sent off for a dangerous challenge, but they took the lead through Ismaël Koné's close-range finish from a corner. Kristian Thorstvedt doubled the advantage with a fine strike from the edge of the box. Atalanta pulled one back through Yunus Musah, but Sassuolo held firm for a victory that moved them five points clear of the relegation zone.
The result leaves Atalanta six points adrift of the top four, making Champions League qualification a difficult prospect. The Bergamo side have become a regular in European competition, having appeared in five of the last seven Champions League editions and winning the Europa League in 2023-24. Before the Dortmund game, fans unveiled a banner commemorating Josip Ilicic's goal against the same opponents in the 2017-18 Europa League, a reminder of the club's recent rise.
The defeat highlights a challenging season for Italian clubs in Europe, though Serie A has been represented in two of the last three Champions League finals. Financial constraints remain, with even the biggest Italian clubs trailing behind their European rivals in revenue. However, progress is being made, with stadium developments and young talent emerging. The battle for the top four remains intense, with only five points separating third from seventh at the start of the weekend.
Atalanta's focus now shifts to recovering from this setback and maintaining their push for European football next season, while Sassuolo continue their impressive run under Fabio Grosso.
