Ahead of the Supercoppa clash against Real Madrid, Atalanta’s CEO Luca Percassi spoke to the media, addressing several key topics including the absence of midfielder Teun Koopmeiners and the significance of the match for the Bergamo-based club.
Percassi began by expressing the magnitude of the occasion: “Incredible evenings are happening in our history. The thought of playing against Real Madrid for a title is something extraordinary. Football gives incredible emotions, but we don’t have time to enjoy them because there’s always something new to face.”
Regarding the unfortunate absences of Gianluca Scamacca and Giorgio Scalvini due to injuries, Percassi stated, “We are sorry for both Scamacca and Scalvini who have been victims of very unfortunate episodes, but they are both fantastic guys.”
The CEO then addressed the situation surrounding Koopmeiners, who is not with the team for the match: “We are very, very fond of Koop. We are very sorry that he is not here. Can the relationship be mended? We love him very much, we know what he has given and what he has received. Sometimes in a young player’s journey, you can run into some mistakes, and this is one of those cases. I reiterate that we don’t want to sell him and we are very fond of him.”
Percassi acknowledged the challenge of facing Real Madrid, describing them as “the strongest team in the world.” He added, “For Atalanta to be here is already a great victory. We must be aware of who we are facing and hope to make a good impression.”
When asked about how to win such a prestigious match, Percassi humbly responded, “How do you win? I must say that when you see these great players in front of you, you realize who you’re up against. However, Atalanta is here on merit, and we deserve to compete with the best in the world.”
