Atalanta Contact Stefano Pioli About Replacing Gasperini

Atalanta have officially reached out to Stefano Pioli as they look to replace Gian Piero Gasperini. The Bergamo club sees the former AC Milan manager as one of three candidates for the job.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Atalanta have contacted Stefano Pioli about their soon-to-be-open managerial position. The 59-year-old Italian coach, currently with Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, is one of three options to replace Gian Piero Gasperini. Reports say Pioli could leave due to a break clause in his contract, allowing him to exit the Saudi club after the 2024-25 season.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Pioli might leave, with rumors of tension between him and Al Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo. He joined the Saudi club after doing well at AC Milan, where he won Milan’s first Serie A title in eleven years in the 2021-22 season. While at Milan, Pioli became known as a skilled manager, achieving the second-highest win rate among Milan coaches of that era, just behind Lajos Czeizler.

Meanwhile, Atalanta’s interest in Pioli signals the end of Gasperini’s successful eight-year stint at the club. That span has seen Atalanta morph from a mid-table side into a consistent European contender, now 5th in Serie A with 62 points, three points short of 4th-placed Bologna in the chase for the Champions League.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR ATALANTA?

With only two matches left in their Serie A campaign, Atalanta will face Torino at home, followed by a trip to Fiorentina on the final day. The Bergamo club needs full points to possibly leapfrog Bologna for the last Champions League spot. Beyond this season, Atalanta’s management is clearly planning ahead, with Pioli becoming a strong prospect to lead them into the 2025-26 campaign.

Interestingly, Pioli could move to Atalanta as his name circulates with Roma, where Claudio Ranieri is the interim manager until the season’s end. The competition for Pioli illustrates his high regard in Italian football, even following his move to Saudi Arabia last year. If Pioli takes Atalanta’s offer, it would signal a return to Serie A after leaving Milan, where his contract had been through June 2025.