Massimo Donati Urges Celtic to Play Without Fear Against Atalanta in Champions League Clash
Former Celtic midfielder Massimo Donati believes that the Hoops should face their upcoming Champions League clash against Atalanta with confidence, urging the Scottish champions not to stray from their playing style. Brendan Rodgers’ side will travel to Italy on Wednesday for their third match in the competition’s group stage, hoping to bounce back from a heavy 7-1 defeat to Borussia Dortmund.
Celtic began their campaign with a dominant 5-1 victory over Slovan Bratislava but faced a tough reality check against the German side. Following that setback, some fans and pundits have called for a more cautious approach in challenging away fixtures to avoid demoralizing results.
However, Donati, who started his career at Atalanta and played under their current manager Gian Piero Gasperini during his time at Palermo, thinks Celtic should stay true to their attacking principles. Speaking to *STV Sport*, Donati highlighted that Atalanta, while a formidable opponent, are not unbeatable. He emphasized the importance of Celtic maintaining their identity and not being intimidated by the Serie A side.
“Atalanta play 1 v 1, they don’t care if it is 4-4-2 or 4-3-2-1, they just go man to man and they try to press a lot, so for the opponents, Celtic in this case, it is never easy,” Donati noted. He praised Gasperini’s style, acknowledging the organized and aggressive football that his teams play.
Still, he encouraged Rodgers to continue with the style of play that best suits Celtic, stressing that adapting to a more defensive approach could be counterproductive. “The most important thing is to have no fear,” Donati said. “To go there and be scared of playing against Atalanta would be a mistake.”
Despite Atalanta’s strength—evident in their Europa League win last season and a fourth-place finish in Serie A—Donati believes that Celtic can challenge them by playing without fear and sticking to their game plan. The Hoops will aim for a positive result in Bergamo, knowing that it could be crucial in their bid for a place in the next round of the competition.
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