Globe Soccer Awards Europe: Atalanta crowned Revelation team
CEO Luca Percassi collected the award in Cala di Volpe, Sardinia
With the evocative setting of Cala di Volpe in Costa Smeralda, Sardinia, as the hosting venue of choice, the KAFD Globe Soccer Awards Europe ceremony saw Atalanta feature in the winners' shortlists and lift the award for revelation team of the season.
Attended by CEO Luca Percassi, the prize-giving pageantry honoured Atalanta on the grounds of the following motivations.
Revelation Award - Atalanta
“With Atalanta conquering the second most-prominent European laurel, the Italian provincial team lifted the UEFA Europa League trophy after imposing themselves 3-0 in Dublin over an undefeated Bayer Leverkusen, after knocking out, among others, Liverpool in the quarter-finals, where they won 3-0 at Anfield in the away leg. Such outstanding result is but the coronation and the much-deserved historic recognition of a team renowned for its long-standing and remarkable playing style that puts the footballing philosophy of head coach Gian Piero Gasperini into practice through the absolute control of the game on both the physical and technical standpoint. In the words of Manchester City caretaker Josep Guardiola, vouched by fellow outgoing Liverpool FC manager Jürgen Klopp, facing Gasperini is like going to the dentist's. As a further badge of honour, the win over Bayer Leverkusen brought the unbeaten run of the German side, who won the Bundesliga with an 18-point gap over UCL semi-finalist Bayer Monaco and registered a 27-point divide over UCL finalists Borussia Dortmund (bound to face Real Madrid in Wembley next week), to its end. In the event of Atalanta's win in the forthcoming European SuperCup scheduled for August 14, the Nerazzurri would become the de-facto mightiest continental team of the 2023-24 season”.
Upon receiving the award, CEO Luca Percassi stated the following:
“I wish to seize the opportunity to acknowledge coach Gasperini, for the strenuous work carried out over the course of all these years, the players, our Sporting Director D’Amico and of course my father, who simply lives and breathes Atalanta. Lest we forget about our fans: their display of fondness and their commitment has been absolutely spotless. Winning the UEL is a feat we could have never imagined, not even in our wildest dreams”.