European campaign off to a flyer: Atalanta 3-1 Pafos

The Nerazzurri got their European campaign off to the perfect start, securing a convincing 3-1 home win over Cyrpiot side Pafos on Matchday 1 of the 2026/27 UEFA Conference League League Phase. The game was effectively settled in the first half, thanks to goals from Elmas, Raspadori and Scamacca.

The Nerazzurri came flying out of the blocks and took an early lead. Less than a minute into the game, a slick passing move released Raspadori down the right. His low cross was cleverly dummied by Scamacca, allowing Elmas to slot home. On the quarter-hour mark, Majecki produced a superb save to tip Raspadori's well-placed left-footed effort away from the top corner. Atalanta's second goal was only delayed until the 18th minute, when Zalewski was brought down inside the box by Bruno Felipe. Raspadori stepped up to the spot and coolly sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to make it 2-0. Pafos threatened in the 25th minute, with Lele firing wide from a promising position. In the 31st minute, Scamacca tested Majecki with a shot from the edge of the box. In the closing stages of the first half, Carnesecchi was alert to keep out Dragomir's free-kick. And right on the stroke of half-time, Atalanta made it 3-0: De Ketelaere slipped a through ball to Scamacca, who controlled, turned and fired into the bottom corner to make it 3-0 and round off the first half.

Early in the second half, Zalewski immediately tested the visiting goalkeeper with a powerful angled drive. Gaetano also tried his luck with a free-kick from 25 metres out, but his effort went narrowly wide. De Ketelaere then came close to making it 4-0 with a header that went narrowly wide. In the 74th minute, Carnesecchi pulled off a double save to preserve the Nerazzurri's clean sheet. De Ketelaere came close to getting his name on the scoresheet again in the 76th minute, sending a left-footed effort narrowly over the bar. In the closing stages, Head Coach Sarri also handed some playing time to 2008-born Idele, who made his First Team debut replacing Kristensen. In the closing stages, Pafos pulled one back through Biel's angled drive, while Samardžić (whose effort was tipped onto the post by the goalkeeper) and Elmas (whose shot was tipped over the bar by the Pafos keeper) both came close to making it 4-1.

Atalanta thus claimed their first three points of the competition and will travel to face Ajax next Thursday for Matchday 2. Meanwhile, the team will be straight back to work tomorrow, Friday 16 October, ahead of Sunday's away fixture against Milan, with a behind-closed-doors morning training session scheduled at the Centro Bortolotti.

ATALANTA 3-1 PAFOS

Scorers: Elmas 1 (A), Raspadori 18 pen (A), Scamacca 44 (A), Biel 88 (P)

Atalanta: Carnesecchi, Zappacosta, Kristensen (Idele 80), Kolašinac, Bernasconi, Pašalić (Éderson 67), Gaetano, Elmas, Raspadori (De Ketelaere 22), Zalewski (Samardžić 67), Scamacca. Unused Bench: Sonzogni, Sportiello, Rowe, Obrić, Krstović. Coach: Maurizio Sarri.

Pafos: Majecki, Bruno Felipe (Correia 46), Mmaee, David Luiz (Sema 37), N. Iouannou, Pepe (Guga 69), Sunjic, Quina (Alexandre Brito 46), Dragomir, Lele (Anderson 69), Biel. Unused Bench: Papastylianou, Petrou, Michael, Evzona, Kais, K. Ioannou. Coach: Sá Pinto.

Referee: Adam Ladebäck (SWE);
Assistant referees: Mehmet Culum (SWE) and Daniel Yng (SWE);
Fourth official: Oscar Johnson (SWE)
V.A.R.: Jan Boterberg (BEL);
A.V.A.R.: Bert Put (BEL).

Notes: Stoppage time: 2 minutes (1st half), 3 minutes (2nd half); Sá Pinto (P) booked