Atalanta cap off the UEL group stage with a 4-0 win at Raków

Atalanta closed out Group D of the UEFA Europa League 2023-2024 with a 4-0 win over Raków Czestochowa at Zagłębiowski Park Sportowy in Sosnowiec on an evening when Gasperini handed ten players their European debuts (Carnesecchi, Zortea, Del Lungo, Bonfanti and Adopo started, while Rossi, Palestra, Cisse, De Nipoti and Mendicino came off the bench).

Atalanta got off to the best possible start, threatening on 4 minutes through Muriel, who was denied by the on-rushing goalkeeper. Raków reacted well to see Nowak's shot charged down by Holm on 9 minutes. But the deadlock was broken five minutes later when Miranchuk robbed the ball in midfield and found Muriel, who skipped past a defender before beating the Rakow goalkeeper. One of the European debutants doubled Atalanta's lead 26 minutes into the match when, after Del Lungo's tap-in following a corner had been cleared, Bonfanti was the quickest to steer the ball into the net for his first-ever European goal, which was also his first scoring contribution for the first team. Zwolinski missed a promising chance in the 28th minute before Muriel attempted to repeat his wonderful backheel winner against AC Milan, but his first effort was blocked by a defender and his second bounced off the near post.

Atalanta were in full control of the game in the second half and Muriel had another go two minutes after the restart when he drilled wide one-on-one with the goalkeeper. The home side produced a few more scoring threats on 69 minutes when Zwolinski nodded inches over and, above all, when Kovacevic smacked the post two minutes later from a corner and Carnesecchi’s foot saved Crnac's tap-in. A minute later, it was 3-0 when Holm raced down the right flank and crossed for Muriel, who made the most of Jean Carlos’ attempted clearance for his second brace in this season of the Europa League. The Colombian striker now has 12 goals in all European competitions and has overtaken Iličić as Atalanta’s all-time leading scorer. Carnesecchi’s 80th-minute fingertip save denied Zwolisnki’s header before the final minutes also saw the European debuts of five other Nerazzurri (first Rossi and Palestra, then Cisse and De Nipoti, and finally Mendicino), headers from De Ketelaere and Pašalić denied by the Rakow goalkeeper, and most importantly the fourth goal, De Ketelaere's angled right-footed drive assisted by De Nipoti. The result was 4-0 in Poland for the Nerazzurri, who capped off the group stage with 14 points.

There will be no rest for the squad as the Nerazzurri return to work on Friday morning with a behind-closed-door session at the Centro Bortolotti in Zingonia to begin preparations for Monday's Christmas Match against Salernitana.

RAKÓW CZESTOCHOWA 0-4 ATALANTA

Scorers: Muriel 14, 72 (A), Bonfanti 26 (A), De Ketelaere 92 (A).

Raków Czestochowa: V. Kovacevic, Racovitan, A. Kovacevic, Tudor, Jean Carlos (Sorescu 78), Berggren, Kochergin (Cebula 61), Plavsic, Yeboah (Crnac 61), Zwolinski (Piasecki 81), Nowak (Kittel 81). Unused subs: Tsiftsis, Mras. Coach: Dawid Szwarga.

Atalanta: Carnesecchi (Rossi 84), Hateboer, Bonfanti, Del Lungo, Holm (Palestra 84), Adopo (Mendicino 91), Pašalić, Zortea, Miranchuk (De Nipoti 89), De Ketelaere, Muriel (Cisse 89). Unused subs: Vismara, Colombo, Manzoni, Ceresoli, Bonanomi. Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini.

Referee: Enea Jorgji (ALB). Assistant referees: Denis Rexha (ALB) and Ridiger Çokaj (ALB). 4th Official: Florian Lata (ALB). **** V.A.R.: Carlos del Cerro Grande (ESP). A.V.A.R.: Guillermo Cuadra (ESP).

Notes: Holm (A), Tudor (RC) and Bonfanti (A) booked.