'Absolutely not!' - what Atalanta's dressing room did at half-time to completely shut down Liverpool

Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini revealed that his Atalanta players never considered playing on the backfoot as they completed a famous victory over Liverpool.

La Dea ended the Reds’ hopes of winning the Europa League in Jurgen Klopp’s final season in charge with a 3-1 aggregate victory in the quarter-finals. Atalanta stunned Liverpool as they earned a 3-0 victory in the first leg at Anfield last week.

But they made a nightmare start in the return clash in Italy as Mo Salah netted a penalty within seven minutes. The Serie A club remained resolute afterwards, however, with Liverpool’s only other real opportunity they created before half-time being spurned by Salah.

And in the second period, the Reds did not muster a single golden chance If anything, it was Atalanta who were more threatening on the counter-attack. And Gasperini saluted his troops for their bravery after insisting at half-time they would not play on the retreat - and have now earned themselves a semi-final against either Benfica or Marseille.

Speaking to Sky Sport Italia (via football-italia.net), he said: “We are very happy to have given our contribution over the years. We eliminated a great coach and a great team, we had heart and a wonderful crowd helping us tonight. We are very happy and from tomorrow will think about the next games,” Gasperini told Sky Sport Italia.

“I thought that we gave away a good dozen of these naïve penalties this season, it felt like another off day. Instead, we built a fantastic performance after that penalty and should’ve scored goals, as there were the spaces to score them tonight as well, just like in Liverpool.

“It was a bit of a frenetic match. There are different ways to defend, either sitting back or going to press them high, and we chose the latter option. We were physically strong and kept up the tempo.

“In my career there might not be trophies, but there are a few medals and I think this will deserve a medal.

“Without doubt we care about winning something, but the trophy also is seeing the unity of these lads. At half-time, I asked them if they wanted to drop back a bit and defend deeper if they were feeling the pressure, but they said absolutely not! That is a trophy for me, because they think like me, they are in positions and approaches that they enjoy.

“When a club like ours manages to get results well beyond the history of Atalanta and Bergamo, I have to consider this exceptional for my career, for Bergamo and for everyone.”