Atalanta manager Raffaele Palladino has expressed his desire to remain with the club, but stated he has received no clear indication from the board regarding his future. The comments came ahead of Atalanta’s Serie A fixture against Milan, as Palladino reflected on his first five months in charge at the Gewiss Stadium.
Palladino took over at Atalanta mid-season and has overseen a climb from 13th to 7th in the league table, alongside a Coppa Italia run that ended in a penalty shootout defeat. He also guided the team to a victory over Borussia Dortmund in the Europa League. Despite these positive steps, Palladino emphasized the need to finish the season strongly and address recent inconsistencies in performance.
The manager acknowledged recent performances have fallen short of the standard he expects, citing a loss of the team’s identity in matches against Sassuolo and Cagliari. He also noted a slight dip in tempo against Genoa, while highlighting encouraging displays against Juventus, Roma, and Lazio. Palladino believes the team has lacked a clinical edge in the final third, attributing this to the departure of key goalscorers Duvan Zapata and Ademola Lookman, resulting in a 48-goal deficit compared to the previous season.
Palladino stressed his ambition to build a squad tailored to his vision, should he be given the opportunity to continue at Atalanta. He expressed a desire to be involved in player recruitment and initiate a “new cycle” at the club. However, he reiterated that, despite positive private conversations with the club a month prior, he is yet to receive any concrete signals about a long-term commitment. He stated his focus remains on securing a strong finish to the current campaign, leaving the decision regarding his future in the hands of the club’s hierarchy.
