After De Rossi’s return to Rome last week, which closed out 2025, Matchday 18 opens 2026 with the evocative return of Gasperini to Bergamo, where he changed the history of La Dea.
Before Gasp, Atalanta were used to fighting and suffering, bouncing back and forth between Serie A and Serie B.
A decade with the current Roma head coach at the helm of the Bergamo club radically changed the history and outlook of La Dea, who established themselves permanently among the elite of Italian football and even lifted the first international trophy in their history, winning the Europa League in 2024.
Gianpiero Gasperini’s return to “his” Bergamo can only be the cover story of Matchday 18 in Serie A, just as De Rossi’s return to Rome was for Matchday 17.
There are, of course, substantial differences between the two stories, both extremely significant, with strong human and professional implications.
De Rossi would never have left his Roma, to begin with, while Gasperini chose to change scenery, looking for new motivation precisely in the capital.
And it is precisely from this difference that the big pre-match question arises: if De Rossi, as widely expected, was welcomed at the Olimpico like a true son of Rome, with all the deserved honors, how will Gasperini be received by the Bergamo faithful? The same supporters who had anointed him as an untouchable leader, urged him to stay at the end of last season, and instead saw him leave—on top of that, to embrace the cause of a club historically disliked.
Gasp stated in his press conference that he does not expect celebrations, and he was probably the most clear-headed in reading the situation, drawing on his deep understanding of the Atalanta fanbase.
Still, it would be a real shame to see him booed by the very people he took, sporting-wise, to places they would never even have dreamed of reaching.
Atalanta without Gasperini struggled badly at the start of the season, also due to the short-sighted choice of his replacement, Ivan Juric, who has been getting it wrong consistently for the past couple of years.
Things have improved under Palladino, but La Dea have yet to truly take off. The obvious hope is to do so with the new year, starting precisely from this nostalgia-tinged clash against their former coach.
Matchday 18 also offers two other fixtures that promise to be balanced and intriguing, for the many storylines attached to them.
With Insigne close to completing his move to Formello, Sunday lunchtime’s Lazio–Napoli clash loses, at least for a few hours, the chance to write an incredible and evocative story: that of the former Napoli captain and symbol—who moved to America just in time to watch his Napoli win two Scudetti in three years—facing Napoli on the very day of his return to Serie A.
It’s safe to assume none of the protagonists lost any sleep over this missed storyline, starting with Insigne himself, who will surely be happy to get back into action in a different setting and, above all, against a different opponent.
Another marquee matchup comes on Sunday night: Inter–Bologna. Chivu’s side—who, under Inzaghi’s technical guidance, lost two Scudetti in Bologna (this time the match will be played at the Meazza)—will be looking for immediate revenge after their recent defeat to Bologna in the Italian Supercoppa semifinal in Riyadh.
L’articolo Sometimes they come back… as opponents, part 2: Gasperini in Bergamo against Atalanta proviene da Soccer Made In Italy.
