Match ends, Atalanta 4, Valencia 1.
Atalanta 4-1 Valencia: Hans Hateboer scores twice as Serie A side thump Spanish club
- From the section European Football
Atalanta's fairytale Champions League debut campaign looks set to continue into the quarter-finals after they thumped Valencia to take a commanding lead into the second leg of the last-16 tie.
Hans Hateboer, with two, Josip Ilicic and a wonder-strike from Remo Freuler saw off the two-time finalists, who were shell-shocked by the pace of their opponents in attack and their incisiveness. There is surely no way back for Albert Celades' Spanish side.
It has already been a wonderful few months for Gian Piero Gasperini's side, who finished third in Serie A to earn their spot in the competition and then qualified for the knockout stages despite losing their opening three group games.
Their home Champions League matches have been played at Milan's San Siro because their Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo, which is 55km away, does not meet Uefa requirements. But once again their devoted fans made the iconic stadium their own on Wednesday.
The reported 40,000 who travelled from Bergamo should have been celebrating an opener in the eighth minute when Mario Pasalic played a one-two with Josip Ilicic but then saw his shot pushed over the bar by keeper Jaume Domenech.
However, that last line of defence was beaten soon after when Dutchman Hateboer converted Papu Gomez's ball from close range. It was 2-0 just before the break courtesy of a fierce drive from Ilicic - the Slovenian has now scored 16 goals in all competitions this season.
Freuler then produced arguably the goal of the night with a stunning curling strike past the reach of Domenech, before the spritely Hateboer added a fourth when he galloped into the area from the right and drove a low shot into the far corner.
With a 4-0 advantage, Atalanta's concentration dipped. Jose Luis Palomino's backpass should have found a team-mate but was instead picked off by substitute Denis Cheryshev who struck a low shot to reduce the deficit.
The second leg is on Tuesday, 10 March.
Line-ups
Atalanta
- 95Gollini
- 2Toloi
- 3CaldaraSubstituted forZapataat 75'minutes
- 6Palomino
- 33HateboerBooked at 79mins
- 15de Roon
- 11Freuler
- 8Gosens
- 88PasalicSubstituted forTamezeat 90+2'minutes
- 72Ilicic
- 10GómezSubstituted forMalinovskiyat 81'minutes
Substitutes
- 5Tameze
- 7Czyborra
- 9Muriel
- 18Malinovskiy
- 21Castagne
- 57Sportiello
- 91Zapata
Valencia
- 1Doménech
- 18Wass
- 12Diakhaby
- 4Mangala
- 14Gayà
- 20Torres
- 10Parejo
- 6Kondogbia
- 8Soler
- 22GómezSubstituted forGameiroat 73'minutes
- 7Gonçalo GuedesSubstituted forCheryshevat 64'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Correia
- 3Costa
- 9Gameiro
- 11Cheryshev
- 13Cillessen
- 23Sobrino
- 37Molina Gutiérrez
- Referee:
- Michael Oliver
- Attendance:
- 44,236
Match Stats
Home TeamAtalantaAway TeamValencia
- Possession
- Home51%
- Away49%
- Shots
- Home11
- Away18
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away4
- Corners
- Home6
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home19
- Away9
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Atalanta 4, Valencia 1.
Corner, Atalanta. Conceded by Daniel Wass.
Corner, Atalanta. Conceded by Jaume Doménech.
Substitution
Substitution, Atalanta. Adrien Tameze replaces Mario Pasalic.
Attempt missed. Ferran Torres (Valencia) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Daniel Wass with a cross.
Duván Zapata (Atalanta) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Mouctar Diakhaby (Valencia).
Offside, Valencia. Daniel Parejo tries a through ball, but José Gayà is caught offside.
Foul by Duván Zapata (Atalanta).
Daniel Wass (Valencia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Ruslan Malinovskiy (Atalanta).
José Gayà (Valencia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Geoffrey Kondogbia (Valencia) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Daniel Parejo with a cross following a set piece situation.
Ferran Torres (Valencia) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Marten de Roon (Atalanta).
Attempt missed. Ruslan Malinovskiy (Atalanta) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Duván Zapata.
Foul by Duván Zapata (Atalanta).
Daniel Wass (Valencia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Atalanta. Ruslan Malinovskiy replaces Alejandro Gómez.
Attempt missed. José Gayà (Valencia) right footed shot from very close range is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Daniel Wass with a cross.
Booking
Hans Hateboer (Atalanta) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Hans Hateboer (Atalanta).
Denis Cheryshev (Valencia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Geoffrey Kondogbia (Valencia) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Ferran Torres.
Attempt missed. Carlos Soler (Valencia) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left following a set piece situation.
Foul by Remo Freuler (Atalanta).
Ferran Torres (Valencia) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Duván Zapata (Atalanta).
Mouctar Diakhaby (Valencia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Atalanta. Duván Zapata replaces Mattia Caldara.
Marten de Roon (Atalanta) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Carlos Soler (Valencia).
Substitution
Substitution, Valencia. Kevin Gameiro replaces Maxi Gómez.
José Luis Palomino (Atalanta) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Eliaquim Mangala (Valencia).
Corner, Valencia. Conceded by Pierluigi Gollini.
Attempt saved. Ferran Torres (Valencia) right footed shot from very close range is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by José Gayà.
Attempt blocked. José Gayà (Valencia) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Maxi Gómez with a headed pass.
Corner, Valencia. Conceded by José Luis Palomino.
