'Liverpool need...' - Italian journalist sends Liverpool stern first-leg warning ahead of Europa League tie

Italian football journalist Nima Tavallaey has warned Liverpool that failing to earn a first-leg cushion could come to haunt them when they face Atalanta - he told LiverpoolWorld in an exclusive interview.

Jurgen Klopp’s side are favourites to win the competition and face a unique test against Gian Piero Gasperini’s side who edged out the Ruben Amorim-managed Sporting Lisbon in the previous round. Currently sat in sixth in Serie A, they are also in the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia but they head into this Europa League tie as underdogs.

Klopp has faced the Italian side just twice in his time at Liverpool. Two group stage matches during the 2020/21 Champions League campaign saw them dominate in Italy with a five-nil victory before losing the reverse fixture two-nil at Anfield during their infamous defensive injury crisis that season.

However, those games will count for little except for Klopp’s experience facing Gasperini from a tactical standpoint. Atalanta showed plenty of poise against Sporting and they are an extremely difficult side to play at home and when they’re on form - they can take on anyone. With players such as Teun Koopmeiners, Ademola Lookman, Gianlucca Scamacca and Charles de Ketelaere led by the heralded Gasperini, Atalanta pose their toughest test yet in the competition.

LiverpoolWorld spoke exclusively to Italian football journalist and pundit and host of the ‘Italian Football Podcast’ Tavallaey ahead of the game to gauge the threat that Atalanta could pose - and he believes that the opening 15-20 minutes of the tie could be decisive for who progresses to the semi-finals.

“I think Atalanta’s chance will come from surviving the opening 15-20 minutes” He began. “Liverpool are going to have to exploit the fact that Atalanta are very tired and been on an intensive set of fixtures across the last few weeks; I think Liverpool should try and win the game early at Anfield. Atalanta are a team that press very intensely, they never stop running and they can harm you on the counter attack. Gasperini is an attacking coach but he knows how to shut games down effectively and he’s very tactically astute. 

“Liverpool are huge favourites but Atalanta are no mugs to be discounted and if they can avoid conceding in the opening 10-15 minutes then I think it will be a tight game. Liverpool need at least a two-goal margin because at home Atalanta can beat anyone at home and have - they are a completely different animal at home. If it ends up in a draw or Liverpool end up chasing the game away at Atalanta then Liverpool, or any team, would struggle in that situation in a knockout game.”