“It’s not a surprise to me. I already knew him from his time at Tigre and I knew he had everything to do well. When he arrived in Bergamo I wrote to him: ‘If you are intelligent and follow Gasperini, you will score at least 20 goals’. He is proving to be a great striker.” Words and music by Alejandro Gomez, obviously on Mateo Retegui, the striker ready to drag Atalanta towards new horizons.
The Italian-Argentine has “stuck” in the last 20 days (only one goal in 6 matches between the championship, Champions League and national team) but his seasonal numbers are incredible, perhaps beyond the wildest expectations: 11 goals in 12 matches of Serie A, 2 with Italy, both scored in October. For the definitive leap in quality he only needs to be decisive in the top European competition, where in any case the Goddess he’s doing great. In the meantime, he has already surpassed the great names of Atalanta’s past, such as German Denis (who at this point of the season had scored 10 goals in 2011/12) and Jørgen Leschly Sørensen (10 in 1949/50). Even the best Inzaghi, in the season in which he became top scorer, had 8 goals.
Retegui is aiming for the title of top scorer and the famous “Gasperini cure” has something to do with it, but only partially. The credit goes entirely to the 25-year-old from San Fernando, who Roberto Mancini had strongly wanted in Italy despite some “grumbles” and who Genoa – as often happens with valuable attackers – had been good at bringing to Italy. Luciano Spalletti enjoys it and knows he can count on him for the final phase of the Nations League in the future. He probably won’t reach the numbers of the big names like Haaland and Gyokeres but one thing seems certain: the commitment, determination and humility that have characterized his path so far will not cease to exist and could make the difference between now and June.