Mario Pasalic scored a hat-trick as Atalanta brushed aside struggling local rivals Brescia 6-2 to move second in Serie A on Tuesday.
Gian Piero
Gasperini’s side extended their unbeaten league run to 13 games to move six
points behind leaders Juventus who visit eighth-placed Sassuolo on Wednesday.
Inter and Lazio are two points behind Atalanta before they play against SPAL and Udinese respectively later this week.
Gasperini’s side
have scored 93 league goals so far this season — 26 more than eight-time
reigning champions Juventus.
“We don’t do it to
humiliate the opponent, but we try to play our game,” said Gasperini.
“Already last year
we were the best attack in the league, this year we have surpassed ourselves,
scoring many goals with many different players.
“Playing in the
Champions League has helped us and made us grow,” added Gasperini, whose side
will play Paris Saint-Germain in the last eight next month.
“We are preparing
for Paris Saint-Germain, but also want to fight to the end in Serie A.
“I think the best
way to be ready for August 12 will be to play these last five league games to
the maximum.”
The game between
high-scoring Atalanta and 19th-placed Brescia was one between two
neighbouring teams from cities ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic.
A minute’s silence
took place before kick-off with players forming a circle with the backdrop of
the music “Rinascero, Rinascerai” (I will be reborn, you will be reborn), by
Bergamo musician Roby Facchinetti.
Atalanta’s top
scorer Luis Muriel, with 17 league goals this season, watched from the stands
hours after the Colombian left hospital after suffering a head injury in a fall
at his home.
But his absence was
not felt with Croatian Pasalic opening the scoring within two minutes at the
Gewiss Stadium connecting with a Ruslan Malinovskyi cross.
Brescia hit back
minutes later with Ernesto Torregrossa pouncing on Atalanta defender Mattia
Caldara’s poor clearance.
But the hosts got
back into their stride and were four-goals up after half an hour with Marten De
Roon, Malinovskyi and a Duvan Zapata header within a five-minute spell.
The punishment
continued in the second half with Malinovskyi again setting up Pasalic to beat
Lorenzo Andrenacci in the Brescia goal after 55 minutes.
The Croatian added
a third three minutes later sending in Ebrima Colley’s cross for his ninth goal
this season, five of them against Brescia, having scored a brace in the away
leg last November.
“It’s the best
moment of my career,” said Pasalic after his maiden hat-trick.
“There are still
five games left and we can do even better.
“We have scored
more than 90 goals in Serie A, we have shown against Juventus (2-2 draw) that
we can match even the strongest teams.”
Nikolas Spalek
pulled a goal back for Brescia who move closer to Serie B next season.
Atalanta however are having one of the best seasons in the club’s 112-year history with a berth in the Champions League quarter-finals in their debut season.