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1.45pm – Good afternoon, friends of TUTTOmercatoWEB! In a few minutes the press conference of Empoli coach Davide Nicola will take place, which will present the difficult match against Atalanta.

1.58pm – The conference begins

How is the team doing and where has your attention been focused?
“The week was about us, our abilities and depending on the opponent. Atalanta have great quality and physicality, they have scored more than 380 goals in five years and are very fearsome. We looked for those few weak points that could have”

You are the second best defense in the league. How satisfied are you?
“The defensive concept for us is team-based, we don’t just train the defense because the defensive aspect starts from the first line of pressure which is that of the attackers. We work globally and then stimulate individually. We have not concentrated exclusively on the defensive part, but we tried to increase our aggression and have a taste for immediate ball recovery. Sometimes we do it better, sometimes less so, and we insist on this, just as we insist on the offensive part, because when you recover the ball you have to be able to create of the prerequisites. We work on this every day, perfection will never arrive but the ability to repeat behaviors are the prerequisites for performing better as a team and individually.”

Having to analyze Atalanta, what do you like most?
“The identity that they managed to sow, without settling and always being positive. They have such a vast squad that they can change several players. They have great coordination between them, Atalanta has become a point of reference for those who love football I like to focus on my team and the ability we have to demonstrate our identity. I am interested in whether my team can be competitive, we are at a point where we cannot make calculations. The path that is most rewarding is the how. I want the team to be sure of what they are doing”

Five games to go, how much do you think about it?
“Despite everything you might think, the single match becomes decisive because nothing is taken for granted. Keeping your attention on the single match means checking the week you’ve had and giving it importance regardless of the opponent. The first match that arrives is the more importantly, the opponent certainly forces you to improve and read all situations in the best way.”

Andrea MalgratiLecco coach, spoke to the microphones of Sky a few minutes before the match against Parma:

“We started the championship with many logistical difficulties, we had problems in the transfer market. Then we had found a certain balance, then other situations happened and now we have practically the same points as in January. However, we continue to follow our path.”

You go and play with a clear head:
“Partly yes, even if in these stadiums it’s impossible to have a completely clear head. We don’t have much to lose, we’ll try to do our best.”

What is your biggest regret this season?
“I believe it’s not just a situation, there have been many mistakes. We’ve all made them, and in this category you pay for the mistakes. But the kids don’t have to think about it, football is also this: you move forward, you learn from mistakes and that’s the most important thing.”

THE OFFICIAL LINE-UPS OF PARMA-LECCO

PARMA (4-2-3-1): Chichizola; Delprato, Osorio, Circati, Di Chiara; Estevez, Hernani; Benedyczak, Bernabé, Mihaila; Bonnie.
Available: Turk, Corvi, Balogh, Charpentier, Ansaldi, Colak, Sohm, Partipilo, Camara, Coulibaly, Zagaritis, Cyprien.
Coach: Fabio Pecchia.

LECCO (4-3-3): Melgrati; Lemmens, Capradossi, Bianconi, Caporale; Ionita, Of the Innocents, Sersanti; Crusade, Novakovich, Buso.
Available: Saracco, Cecchini, Smajlovic, Lunetta, Salcedo, Salomaa, Parigini, Frigerio, Louakima, Guglielmotti, Ierardi, Galli.
Coach: Andrea Malgrati.

Interviewed by today’s edition of Gazzetta dello Sportthe technical commissioner of Serbia Dragan Stojkovic spoke about Dusan Vlahovic: “I heard Dusan before Cagliari and the next day he scored a beautiful goal from a free kick. Last year I was in Turin for the derby and Juve won 1-0 with his goal. We hope to bring him good against Milan and especially at the European Championship. We are 50 days away from our debut at Euro 2024 against Bellingham’s England and I am traveling around a lot to follow and talk to the players. Luckily, many of them are in Italy, a country I have been to good and I always come back willingly.

10 goals from Vlahovic since January, surprised? No, because I know Dusan’s strength. Beyond the goals, which are always fundamental for a striker, I like how he is playing. He works a lot for the team and is more calm, even when he makes mistakes. The secret of Dusan 2024? The physical condition. Last year, I also think about the World Cup, he was in bad shape: I took him to Qatar because he deserved it, but he was a Vlahovic below 50% in terms of condition.

Now he’s fit, I can see his legs and head well. But he is at 90% of his potential, he still has room for improvement. I expect a great European from Dusan. For us it is already a triumph to be there: we had been missing for 24 years and I was the captain of that Serbia….A prediction for Vlahovic? He will close at 20, maybe even something more. Are so many. Especially in Italy, where it’s harder for attackers to score than in England.”

Massimo CarreraAscoli coach, spoke to the microphones of Sky a few minutes before the match against Ternana: “We’re coming to this match in the best possible way, we know it’s an important match, we have to go on the pitch to try to win”.

Three 0-0s in a row, you’re struggling a bit up front
“We struggle in the last few meters to choose the right play, we worked on that too. We want to implement what we did during the week.”

THE OFFICIAL LINE-UPS OF ASCOLI-TERNANA

TERNANA (3-5-2): Vital; Boloca, Dalle Mura, Lucchesi; Casasola, Luperini, Amatucci, De Boer, Carboni; Pereiro, Dionysis.
On the bench: Franchi, Zoia, Sorensen, Raimondo, Faticanti, Favilli, Viviani, Labojko, Favasuli, Distefano, Pyythia, Marginean.
All.: Breda.

ASCOLI (3-5-2): Vasquez; Vaisanen, Bellusci, Mantovani; Falzerano, Masini, Di Tacchio, Caligara, Zedadka; Nestorovski, Duris.
On the bench: VIviani, Mengucci, GIovane, Streng, Celia; Adjapong, Tarantino, Milanese, Botteghin, Tavcar, Masini, Rodriguez.
All.: Carrera.

A victory to return to second place and get ever closer to the dream of qualifying for the next Champions League. Girona will soon be busy on the Las Palmas pitch, practically already safe. Here are the official lineups:

Las Palmas (4-3-3): Valles; Suare, Coco, Marmol, Sinkgraven; Munoz, Perrone, Rodriguez; Marvin, Ramirez, Moleiro.

Girona (4-2-3-1): Gazzaniga; E. Garcia, Lopez, Blind, Gutierrez; Herrera, A. Garcia; Couto, Martin, Savio; Dovbyk.

33rd DAY
Friday 26 April
Real Sociedad – Real Madrid 0-1

Saturday 27 April
Las Palmas – Girona
Almeria – Getafe
Alaves – Celta Vigo
Atletico Madrid – Athletic

Sunday 28 April
Cadiz – Mallorca
Granada – Osasuna
Villarreal – Rayo Vallecano
Betis – Seville

Monday 29 April
Barcelona – Valencia

Classification
Real Madrid 84*
Barcelona 70
Girona 68
Atletico Madrid 61
Athletic Bilbao 58
Real Sociedad 51*
Betis Sevilla 45
Valencia 47
Villarreal 42
Getafe 40
Osasuna 39
Las Palmas 37
Alaves 35
Seville 34
Rayo Vallecano 34
Mallorca 31
Celta Vigo 31
Cadiz 25
Granada 18
Almeria 14

*one more game

1.20pm – Gian Piero GasperiniAtalanta coach, will speak at the press conference to analyze the match against Empoli scheduled for tomorrow at 6.00 pm at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo.

Pablo Longoria, president of Olympique Marseille, spoke about the double match that awaits the French team, Atalanta’s opponent in the Europa League semi-final (first leg on 2 May at the Vélodrome, return on 9 May in Bergamo). A challenge that Marseille faces with “confidence”: “I believe that this season, if we analyze carefully, we have done well in Europe”, he told Telefoot.

“I approach this semi-final against Atalanta with hope and confidence. For us it is very important to try to get to the final. The semi-finals are always a great moment and this is the consequence of a good European season. We must remember that we were in a very tough group and now we are here.”

Ultimatum to FIFA, the clogged calendar angers European leagues and footballers. This is what emerges, he writes republic.it, from the meeting held on Friday in London, the protagonists were the governance of the main European championships, including the Italian Serie A, and the players’ unions. The opponent? An international calendar crowded with matches: too much is played, few doubts.

Ultimatum until May 17th. The next FIFA congress will be held on that date, which will have to give an answer on the topic. The most vocal would be the players themselves, who complain of an excessive load, but also the championships, starting from the League of A, would have shared what is defined as an extremist line.

It is the position, for example, of Maheta Molango, president of the Professional Footballers Association, the English footballers’ union: “We are not ruling anything out. A study we have conducted shows that United’s Rashford has already played twice as many games as Beckham at his age.” Ours is along the same lines Umberto Calcagno: “We need to reduce the matches: let’s wait for the FIFA congress, then we’ll do something concrete. We’re all united, footballers’ unions and leagues, we know what we want to achieve. And we certainly won’t stand by and watch.” So far, FIFA has never responded to the requests of players and clubs, who are now also ready to take legal action. And UEFA is also in the sights, which with the new Champions League has increased the load of seasonal matches.

12.45 In fifteen minutes the Cagliari coach, Claudio Ranieri, will present Monday evening’s match away to Genoa to the press. The rossoblù have obtained 5 points in the last three matches against Atalanta, Inter and Juventus. But the fight not to be relegated is always alive, no one gives up even an inch.

1.01pm The conference begins.

Is there a danger of underestimating the opponent?
“We know the strength of the opponent. We won in the first leg, but in the final they had many opportunities. We must be compact and do our job as best we can.”

How are Oristanio and Petagna?
“Well, both of them could play tomorrow as a replacement for Luvumbo.”

Makoumbou seemed to be slowing down against Juve.
“I don’t agree. When you sing and bring your voice you can’t expect to always be brilliant. He played an excellent game in Milan.”

How does the salvation quota evolve?
“I told my boys to fight until the end, then we’ll see how many points we get.”

What does it mean for Genoa?
“I made my debut there as a footballer, in ’73. We lost 2-1 and my direct opponents, Corradi and Simoni, scored. As a former Samp? Genoa is a beautiful environment, the Genoa fans push hard and it will be a good match. We are ready to this final rush”.

Will Petagna be able to have his say in this finale?
“Not only that, Mancosu and then Pavoletti will also be back soon. And everyone will be able to have their say.”

Who will take the next penalty?
“We’ll see who will play. I’ll assign them, then they’ll make do.”

13.09 End of the conference.

These are the official lineups for Ternana-Ascoli, a match valid for the 35th round of Serie B. Carrera chooses Duris alongside Nestorovski in the attacking tandem, in Fere there is the former Dionisi from the first minute.

TERNANA (3-5-2): Vital; Boloca, Dalle Mura, Lucchesi; Casasola, Luperini, Amatucci, De Boer, Carboni; Pereiro, Dionysis.
On the bench: Franchi, Zoia, Sorensen, Raimondo, Faticanti, Favilli, Viviani, Labojko, Favasuli, Distefano, Pyythia, Marginean.
All.: Breda.

ASCOLI (3-5-2): Vasquez; Vaisanen, Bellusci, Mantovani; Falzerano, Masini, Di Tacchio, Caligara, Zedadka; Nestorovski, Duris.
On the bench: VIviani, Mengucci, GIovane, Streng, Celia; Adjapong, Tarantino, Milanese, Botteghin, Tavcar, Masini, Rodriguez.
All.: Carrera.

Referee: Ghersini from Genvoa