Atalanta CEO Luca Percassi admits the Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen is a “magical evening” for the club, but they must “never lose sight of our identity”.
Kick-off will be at Dublin Arena at 8:00 p.m. UK time (7:00 p.m. GMT).
You can follow all the preparation and action as it unfolds on the LIVEBLOG.
Luca’s father Antonio, the club’s president and former player, had tears in his eyes as he led the fans’ chants in the section where some 8,000 Atalanta fans were gathered.
“It’s extraordinary, unique, we are experiencing a magical night for Atalanta and feeling all these emotions to the fullest with our fans. Dublin gave us a splendid welcome for a truly special evening,” Luca Percassi told Sky Sport Italia.
“These are special occasions where we try not to raise the tension too much, but it’s inevitable. We all know what awaits us, but also that we fully deserved this opportunity with victories in really important stadiums.
“My father never got involved in choosing players, he just asked us to sign good ones. Atalanta’s great luck is to have a president who allows all managers to work with great support and with the aim of building the most competitive team possible. He largely let us do it.
Extraordinary trip to Atalanta
La Dea are having a remarkable campaign, having already qualified for the Champions League, lost the Coppa Italia final to Juventus a week ago and played in their first ever UEFA final here.
That pales in comparison to Bayer Leverkusen, who won their first Bundesliga, faces Kaiserslautern in the German Cup final on Saturday and is on a European club record 51 matches without defeat.
“Bringing the Cup back to Bergamo would be incredible, but we are fully aware that we are against a team undefeated throughout the season. We have our own characteristics and identity, may the best team win.
To what extent can Atalanta continue to raise the bar after this campaign?
“We know where we come from and who we are. What we are experiencing, especially this year, is thanks to the hard work and dedication of the club, the coach and the players. We are satisfied with what we do, but never lose sight of the reality we represent.
“It is the only way to remain humble, to look to the future and to remember that the owners invest in the club, the stadium and the youth academy, always with great passion and trying to commit the least possible errors.”
La Dea are already in the Champions League for next season and could even finish third in Serie A, so will they keep their best players?
“These competitions allow us to grow, we have never hesitated to make big investments. Securing the Champions League for next season is a great opportunity and will allow us to make even more investment, but again we must never lose sight of our identity.
