ROME (AP) — In 2020, it was a run to the Champions League quarterfinals just as Bergamo was becoming the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic.
Last season, it was an upset victory over Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League final to end the German club’s European-record unbeaten run at 51 games.
Atalanta keeps on surprising and its latest exploit was moving atop Serie A following a 3-1 win at Parma on Saturday for its seventh straight win in the Italian league.
And to think that coach Gian Piero Gasperini considered leaving Atalanta toward the end of last season.
Now, Gasperini has the chance to guide “La Dea” (The Goddess), as the team is nicknamed, to its first ever Italian league title.
There’s a long way to go, though, and it should be noted that Atalanta is level on points with second-place Inter Milan, which routed Hellas Verona 5-0 earlier, and that Napoli has a chance to reclaim the lead when it hosts Roma on Sunday.
Also Saturday, AC Milan and Juventus drew 0-0 at the San Siro in a match with few chances from both sides. Milan produced one shot on goal and Juventus created two.
Gasperini’s attack-first tactics have produced a league-best 34 goals
Atalanta's Mateo Retegui scored his league-leading 12th goal of the season, Ederson made it 2-0 before the break and Europa League final hero Ademola Lookman restored the two-goal advantage after Matteo Cancellieri had pulled one back for Parma.
Retegui’s fourth headed goal of the season put him atop that category across Europe’s five major leagues, according to Opta, while Lookman volleyed in a cross from Juan Cuadrado after having two goals disallowed.
Gasperini was sent off midway through the second half for protests. But he was smiling in the stands at the final whistle.
Atalanta's 34 goals are the most in Italy, and trail only Barcelona (42), Bayern Munich (36) and Paris Saint-Germain (36) across Europe's top five leagues.
Atalanta has won two and drawn two in the Champions League this season.
Thuram scores 2 in Inter's rout of Verona
Marcus Thuram scored twice for defending champion Inter at Verona.
Inter was missing top striker Lautaro Martinez, who was out sick. But five goals in the first half made Lautaro’s absence a non-issue.
Joaquin Correa opened the scoring 17 minutes in, Thuram then scored twice before more goals from Stefan de Vrij and Yann Aurel Bisseck.
Correa nearly added another in second-half stoppage time but his effort hit the woodwork.
Inter's only loss across all competitions this season was a derby defeat to Milan in September.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Andrew Dampf, The Associated Press
