Academy: the winter recap on the Attività Agonistica
Currently on hold for the winter break, the whole Atalanta Academy is unwinding before resuming training past the season festivities: after the Primavera, to which we dedicated a full-on detached report, now comes the turn of the Attività Agonistica to draw a mid-season balance and assess how each and every single team has been faring so far in their respective leagues.
UNDER-18
With 25 points in 14 games thanks to 7 wins, 4 draws and 3 losses (28 goals scored and 16 conceded), coach Stefano Lorenzi's side currently holds the 4th place in the "Campionato Nazionale Under 18 Professionisti" (National Under-18 Pro Championship) standings; with only Roma (on 27 points but with two games in hand), Inter and Empoli (both tied on 29 points and both with one game in hand) preceding the Nerazzurri. Defeated away by Empoli in the closing minutes of their last commitment before the break, the U18s' setback brought their previous streaks of 7 consecutive positive outcomes and 4 back-to-back victories to their end. At the resumption of the league, the Nerazzurri are to host Bologna at the weekend of January 13-14. While the team's topscorer is Henry Camara with 6 goals, Cristian Previtali can flaunt the highest playing time- with 1,227 minutes to his name.
UNDER-17 With 23 points in 13 matches thanks to 7 wins, 2 draws and 4 losses, the team coached by Gianpaolo Bellini closed the 1st half of the "Campionato Nazionale Under 17 Serie A e B" (National Serie A and Serie B Under-17 Championship) season at the second place of Group B - tied with Inter and Monza and with the former currently third on goal difference- behind winter champions Milan, leading the chart with 39 points. With 25 goals scored and 18 conceded, the Nerazzurri are currently on a streak of 4 back-to-back victories; the last of which being the 1-0 home win clinched at the Centro Bortolotti against Hellas Verona before the break. Commitments will resume at the weekend of January 13-14, with the U17s hosting Udinese in Zingonia. Lorenzo Bonsignori Goggi and Manuel Maffesoli are respectively, the team's goalscorer (with 5 goals) and the player with the highest playing time -having racked in the full 1252 minutes played so far.
UNDER-16 On the grounds of 7 wins and 6 losses, coach Alessio Gambirasio's side closed the first half of the Campionato Nazionale Under 16 Serie A e B'*s Group B in 6th place on 21 points after 13 games: namely, the team finished the first round two points behind Hellas Verona and Como and three points away from third-place holders Monza - all the three teams have still one game in hand. Scoring wise, the Nerazzurri have bagged in 25 goals and conceded 16. Before the break set in the U16s claimed a 1-0 win over Cittadella in Zingonia. As part of the weekend schedule at the league's resumption, the team will host Inter at the weekend of January 13-14 . With what Vincenzo Damiano being the team's top-scorer with 8 goals; Matteo Colombo has clocked in the most playing time - 1,027 minutes to his name.
*National Serie A and Serie B Under-16 Championship
UNDER-15
With 35 points after 13 games, the team coached by Roberto Previtali closed the first round of the Campionato Nazionale Under 15 Serie A e B (National Serie A and Serie B Under-15 Championship) on top of Group B ahead of Inter (31 points) and Milan (30 points) -having both Milano sides still a match in hand. Additionally, not only are the Nerazzurri still unbeaten (having claimed 11 wins and 2 draws); but, on the grounds of the 58 goals scored (and the 20 conceded), the black-and-blue U15s can flaunt the best offensive tally not just in their group; but also across Group A and C. While they claimed yet another success in their last league fixture before the break -namely, the 2-1 home win over Cittadella-; coach Previtali's lads will host Inter at the Centro Bortolotti on the weekend of January 13-14 upon the league's resumption. With 17 goals to his name, skipper Marcello Fugazzola is the team's top scorer. Francesco Gasparello, on the other hand, can flaunt the highest playing time with 953 minutes.