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Gian Piero Gasperini’s appointment at Roma is nothing short of a coup. Gasperini’s record at Atalanta stands as one of the most remarkable managerial achievements in modern Italian football — a transformation that has elevated the club from relegation battlers to European contenders and, eventually, European champions.
When Gasperini took over Atalanta on 14 June 2016, the club’s objectives were modest – survive in Serie A and avoid relegation to Serie B. His reign, however, ignited an extraordinary era. The beginning was rocky – five games in, Atalanta were second from bottom after a home defeat to Palermo, and Gasperini was on the brink of dismissal. Instead, the club held firm. What followed was a meteoric rise – victories over Italian giants Inter, Roma, and Napoli helped Atalanta finish the 2016–17 season in fourth place, qualifying for the UEFA Europa League and signaling the beginning of a footballing revolution in Bergamo.
Under Gasperini, Atalanta not only qualified for Europe regularly but became a respected force across the continent. In just his second season, they topped their Europa League group unbeaten, and in 2018–19, Gasperini led the club to a third-place Serie A finish – their best ever at the time and qualification for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in the club’s history.
Atalanta reached the Champions League quarter-finals in their debut campaign, defeating Valencia with an exhilarating 8–4 aggregate win, before narrowly losing to Paris Saint-Germain. Despite the devastating COVID-19 pandemic that severely impacted Bergamo, the club finished third in Serie A again in 2020, scoring a record-breaking 98 goals — the highest tally by an Italian team in over six decades. With three players (Iličić, Muriel, Zapata) scoring over 15 league goals, Gasperini’s side became the first since 1951–52 Juventus to achieve such a feat.
Even after the mid-season departure of talismanic captain Papu Gómez in the 2020–21 campaign, Gasperini maintained Atalanta’s momentum, guiding them to a third consecutive third-place finish and a second Coppa Italia final in three years. Though silverware continued to elude them, the team’s identity – high-intensity attacking football, tactical fluidity, and fearless pressing remained at the forefront of his Atalanta sides to follow.
After a brief setback in 2021–22, when Atalanta missed out on European qualification for the first time under his leadership, Gasperini recalibrated. The club returned to European competition the following season with a fifth-place Serie A finish and, in 2023–24, reached new historic heights.
In the 2023–24 season, Gasperini led Atalanta to the semi-finals of both the Europa League and Coppa Italia. After a thrilling run that saw them eliminate Liverpool and Marseille, Atalanta reached their first-ever European final and Gasperini delivered. On 22 May 2024, they defeated Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen 3–0 in the Europa League final, claiming the first major trophy of his career and Atalanta’s first European title.
This season, he continued upon that success by securing Champions League qualification yet again with a third-place finish – ahead of Juventus who finished below Atalanta in fourth-place – further cementing his status as one of Italy’s elite tacticians.
Therefore, if Roma manage to secure Gian Piero Gasperini as their next manager, they will be acquiring more than just a tactician; they will be gaining a visionary leader capable of instilling a long-term identity. His high-pressing, expansive attacking philosophy would offer a refreshing contrast to the more pragmatic approaches of recent Roma coaches. With the right backing, Gasperini could unlock the full potential of Roma’s promising talents and guide the Giallorossi to sustained domestic and European relevance rather than the short bursts of momentum that they have experienced in recent times.
Furthermore, Gasperini’s proven ability to elevate underdog squads and develop players — often transforming journeymen and youth into elite performers — aligns perfectly with Roma’s ambitions of combining financial prudence with competitive excellence.
In a league often that can- at times – be dominated by pragmatism, Gasperini’s fearless and modern approach represents both a cultural and sporting shift. For Roma, appointing him would not just be a smart managerial hire – it would be a declaration of intent.
Callum McFadden I GIFN
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