Giuntoli confident Atalanta on right track with Sarri

Originally posted on Football Italia | By Susy Campanale | Last updated Aug 23, 2026 2:54 PM ET

Atalanta director Cristiano Giuntoli is ‘confident we’ve made the right decision’ hiring Maurizio Sarri, and explains why Eljif Elmas is ‘a Joker in the pack.’

The match with Sassuolo kicks off at the New Balance Stadium at 19.45 UK time (20.45 CEST).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s four Serie A games on the Liveblog.

BERGAMO, ITALY – AUGUST 20: Giacomo Raspadori of Atalanta BC competes for the ball with Mor Buskila and Shahar Piven of Hapoel Tel Aviv during the UEFA Conference League 2026/27 Play Off Round First Leg match between Atalanta BC v Hapoel Tel Aviv at Gewiss Stadium on August 20, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

La Dea had a rough start to their season when held to a 0-0 draw in the first leg of the Conference League play-off by Hapoel Tel-Aviv.

That confirmed the shift to Sarri’s 4-3-3 formation after more than a decade using the three-man defence is proving to be a little tricky.

Giuntoli trusts Atalanta on right track

BERGAMO, ITALY – AUGUST 20: Atalanta BC coach Maurizio Sarri looks on during the UEFA Conference League 2026/27 Play Off Round First Leg match between Atalanta BC v Hapoel Tel Aviv at Gewiss Stadium on August 20, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

“It isn’t such an easy change for these players to Sarri’s ideas, but they are following him and we are confident we’ve made the right decision,” Giuntoli told DAZN Italia.

It has been a busy summer for the Bergamo side, who saw veterans like Berat Djimsiti leave, but they brought North Macedonia international Elmas back to Serie A.

NAPLES, ITALY – FEBRUARY 15: Eljif Elmas of SSC Napoli battles for possession with Bryan Zaragoza of AS Roma during the Serie A match between SSC Napoli and AS Roma at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on February 15, 2026 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)

“We have many talented centre-backs, yesterday we signed Eljif Elmas, a lad who Sarri knows well. He’s a Joker in the pack who can play on the wing or in central midfield,” continued the Atalanta director.

“There was an opportunity with Elmas and we gladly took it. We’ve always thought about this type of player, so we moved quickly also thanks to him.”

Injuries are already piling up, as this evening against Sassuolo they are missing Thomas Kristensen, Isak Hien, Honest Ahanor and Kamaldeen Sulemana.

This article first appeared on Football Italia and was syndicated with permission.

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