Ajax Seek a Response as Atalanta Bring Italian Quality to Amsterdam
Ajax have little time to dwell on their disappointing 2-1 defeat to Hajduk Split in the Conference League. Their next test is a demanding home match against Atalanta at the Johan Cruijff ArenA, where the Amsterdam side will be looking for a response and valuable points in the competition’s league phase.
Atalanta arrive with a reputation shaped by recent success in Italy and Europe, but the club is also navigating a period of change. To understand what Ajax can expect, Voetbalzone spoke with Italian journalist Fabio Gennari, who follows the Bergamo club for outlets including Prima Bergamo. His assessment points to a side with attacking potential, renewed confidence and a new project that still needs time to settle.
Life after Gasperini’s landmark era
Any conversation about Atalanta’s modern rise soon turns to Gian Piero Gasperini. Now in charge of AS Roma, the 68-year-old coached the Bergamo club from 2016 to 2025, transforming a relatively modest team into a regular contender for European qualification. During his tenure, Atalanta reached the Champions League for the first time in their history, with Dutch midfielder Marten de Roon an important part of the squad.
The defining moment came in May 2024, when Atalanta beat Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 in the Europa League final in Dublin. The victory delivered the club’s first major European trophy and confirmed the progress made under Gasperini. His departure soon afterwards, however, left the club facing the challenge of replacing a coach whose influence extended well beyond the touchline.
A difficult transition and a new coaching direction
Atalanta’s first attempt to move on from Gasperini proved unsuccessful. The club appointed Ivan Juric, but the Croatian’s spell lasted only a few months. Results dropped, Atalanta slipped into the middle of the Serie A standings, and tensions became difficult to ignore. A heated exchange between Juric and forward Ademola Lookman during a Champions League match against Olympique Marseille reportedly required others to intervene. The club soon dismissed Juric.
Raffaele Palladino took over and guided Atalanta to sixth place in Serie A, a Conference League berth and a Coppa Italia semi-final. His team also reached the Champions League round of 16, where Bayern Munich proved too strong across two legs. Atalanta lost 6-1 and 4-1, but Palladino defended his willingness to attack, arguing that the same approach had helped the team compete successfully elsewhere.
Palladino did not remain for a second season. Atalanta instead turned to experienced Italian coach Maurizio Sarri, whose previous roles have included Napoli, Juventus, Chelsea and Lazio. The appointment signals a desire for greater consistency after a turbulent period, although rebuilding a clear identity will take time.
Atalanta’s form offers reasons for optimism
Atalanta’s 3-2 defeat away to AC Milan may look like a setback, but Gennari believes the performance was more encouraging than the scoreline suggests. He says the team has created plenty of chances in recent matches despite missing several important players. Atalanta have scored nine goals across their last three games, while also producing enough opportunities to have added several more.
Defensive improvements remain necessary, Gennari acknowledges, but he sees signs that Sarri’s ideas are beginning to take hold. That makes the Italian side a potentially awkward opponent for Ajax: Atalanta can press high, move forward quickly and punish mistakes, even if their own defensive structure is not yet fully reliable.
Scamacca could be a key threat
One player Ajax will need to monitor closely is Gianluca Scamacca. The 1.95-metre striker began his professional career at PSV and later played in Italy and England, with a short loan spell at PEC Zwolle along the way. Atalanta signed him in 2023 as a replacement for Rasmus Højlund, who had joined Manchester United.
Scamacca has recently scored for Italy and found the net in Atalanta’s 3-1 Conference League win over Pafos. Gennari describes him as a player who has matured and become increasingly important, while noting that his performances can still fluctuate. When the forward is confident and sharp, his physical presence and finishing make him a decisive figure in the penalty area.
His goal against Pafos helped Atalanta begin their European campaign with a win. The club’s broader targets are to qualify for Europe again and progress as far as possible in the Conference League. For supporters, however, the immediate priority is seeing Sarri’s coaching project develop into a stable and convincing team.
Ajax have a chance to rewrite the recent history
Ajax and Atalanta have met only once before in European competition, during the 2020/21 Champions League season. Ajax led 2-0 in Bergamo before the Italian side fought back to earn a 2-2 draw. Atalanta then won 1-0 in Amsterdam, leaving the Dutch club with an unwanted memory at the Johan Cruijff ArenA.
Six years on, Ajax have an opportunity to respond. Their 5-2 win over FC Groningen provides some attacking encouragement, but one high-scoring result does not erase the concerns raised by the defeat to Hajduk Split. Ajax will need to combine their forward play with greater concentration, particularly if Atalanta press aggressively and look to exploit space behind the defence.
Gennari says Atalanta respect Ajax, even if they do not fear them. That distinction could shape the contest: the visitors are likely to take the hosts seriously while still believing they can impose themselves. With six league-phase matches rather than eight, every dropped point can have a significant impact on the standings, increasing the importance of a strong result for both teams.
Ajax vs Atalanta prediction: an open, high-pressure contest
The match presents a difficult prediction. Atalanta’s attacking output and Scamacca’s threat give them the tools to trouble Ajax, while their defensive inconsistencies could offer the home side opportunities of its own. Ajax’s recent win over Groningen suggests they can score, but the defeat to Hajduk underlines the need for a more disciplined performance.
For Ajax, the key will be to avoid allowing Atalanta to dictate the tempo through an aggressive press. Quick, composed passing and careful management of transitions could help the hosts turn the crowd’s energy into an advantage. Atalanta, meanwhile, will look to test Ajax’s defence early and make the most of their physical and technical quality in the final third.
Neither side enters the match without questions, but both have clear reasons to pursue the win. Ajax want to recover from a damaging European setback and improve their position in the league phase. Atalanta are seeking evidence that Sarri’s project is moving in the right direction. The result may depend on which team handles pressure better—and whether Ajax can finally make home advantage count against a familiar Italian opponent.
