Atalanta host Arsenal in their first Champions League game of the 2024/25 season.
The Gunners are hoping to go a couple of steps further in the competition than they did last term, when they were knocked out by Bayern Munich in the quarter-final.
Mikel Arteta’s first test is against Gian Piero Gasperini’s side, and the Atalanta boss has been speaking about the Gunners in his pre-match press conference in Bergamo.
Gian Piero Gasperini makes interesting claim about Arsenal and Manchester City
Gasperini is one of the most knowledgeable managers in Italy and perhaps even the world.
The Italian has revolutionised the way Atalanta play over the last eight years, and his tactical setup and philosophy make them a very hard side to beat.
Ahead of the game between Arsenal and Atalanta in Bergamo, the 66-year-old delivered his verdict on the Gunners and their manager, Arteta.
Gasperini claimed that there are similarities between the Spaniard and Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, but the defending Premier League champions are better than Arsenal at one thing – ball possession.
He said, as per Pazzi di Fanta: “Arsenal are dominating the English championship together with City and Liverpool, they are made up of strong players and are proving to be compact and organised: a test of absolute value.
“Arteta has similarities with Guardiola, although City have superior ball possession; his team is strong at high pressure, playing in tight spaces and creating danger through quick counterattacks.
“There are always some aches and pains when you meet strong teams.”
Arteta is more complete than Guardiola
Guardiola is perhaps the greatest manager football has ever seen.
The Spaniard has been successful in multiple countries, has had a massive influence on many managers in the world, and his style of play is fantastic as well.
Arteta is one of Guardiola’s pupils too, and there are definitely a few similarities between the two Spanish coaches. However, the Arsenal manager is more complete.
As we have seen on multiple occasions over the years, most recently in the North London Derby, Arteta is more than happy to tweak his philosophy to adapt to the circumstances.
Arsenal were without seven players, and instead of going all out against an attack-minded Tottenham side, he decided to remain compact and played on the counter-attack.
Guardiola would never do that, which is why we think Arteta is the more complete manager.
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