Atalanta CEO on bad blood with Borussia Dortmund: ‘We had to go hungry’
Atalanta CEO Luca Percassi jokes that he and his colleagues ‘had to go hungry’ after Borussia Dortmund decided against attending a customary lunch before Wednesday evening’s Champions League play-off decider between the two teams.
Before Champions League matches, it is tradition for the directors of the respective clubs to sit down over a lunch on the day of the game.
This has not happened for either of the play-off matches between Atalanta and Dortmund, however, as there is still bad blood between the two sides following the transfer of teenager Samuele Inacio from Bergamo to the Bundesliga side in 2024.
“Unfortunately, we did not have that lunch, so we went hungry,” shrugged Percassi during an interview with Sky Sport Italia before kick-off in Atalanta-Dortmund.
“We hoped they would take the opportunity to open up a dialogue, but that did not happen. We go forward.”
Percassi on Atalanta vs. Borussia Dortmund decider
Percassi went on to discuss the support that he has felt from the Atalanta fans heading into their Champions League decider against Dortmund.
“From the moment we got on the bus at the Zingonia training camp to arrive in the city and reach the stadium, we felt the passion of the fans,” Percassi told Sky Sport Italia.
“That has been a decisive element for us, and it’s a pity that we have been unable to count on the supporters during away games recently. Hopefully we can dialogue with the institutions to face these problems, including the upcoming Coppa Italia semi-final, because football without its fans is not the same.”
And on the game itself, he added: “It is going to be a very difficult and complicated match, but we know how competitive the Champions League is. Getting a result this evening would be something historic, once again, for this club.
“It is already extraordinary that we are here, so we’ll enjoy this moment with the spirit of Atalanta, hoping to have no regrets.
“Every season, our approach does not change. The objective is to secure Serie A safety as quickly as possible, that is not just a phrase, it is how we genuinely think.
“Obviously, in recent years the capability for investment in recent years makes us hope for targets beyond that, but we see around the sport that big investments do not necessarily provide big results.
“They might let you sign important players who in theory make the difference, but they still have to settle with the rest of the team, and translate that investment into results on the field.
“We have great humility, because we know our status and where we come from. Last week, we played in one of the biggest stadiums in Europe, which holds 82,000 people, and you realise it’s a different reality to our own.
“We hope to make as few mistakes as possible, to keep our feet on the ground, remembering Atalanta achieved results in recent years precisely because we combined humility with ambition and determination.”