Raffaele Palladino, Getty Images 06 February 2026, 21:29

The head coach of Atalanta, Raffaele Palladino, shared his emotions after the crushing victory over Juventus (3:0) in the 1/4 finals of the Italian Cup.

“I’m really happy, thanks to the boys, the club and all our wonderful fans. We dedicate this victory to them, because the stadium was like a boiling cauldron and inspired us. It was a wonderful and magical evening. In this tournament, we want to go all the way to the end.

Today, we acted coolly when it was necessary and defended reliably when it was also necessary. Substitute players showed the right attitude, which played a decisive role. I can count on all the guys and that makes me happy.

I am impressed by the strength and quality of Juventus’ play. We were up against Luciano Spalletti, one of the best coaches in Italy. Don’t forget that they have won a lot in recent months, so this success is even more valuable for us.

It was a balanced game, you have to admit that they had chances to go ahead. But I like such open matches. At half-time I asked the boys if they wanted to play a bit deeper, but they wanted to attack. And I really like it.

We needed to rediscover Atalanta’s DNA. They are a great group of guys, all working very hard to achieve results in three tournaments. We know it’s a tough month with Serie A, Champions League and Coppa Italia involved.

Now I am waiting to show maturity in the next match against Cremonese. Too often we put in great performances in important matches and then play below our potential against teams that may be better on paper but not on the pitch. This cannot continue any longer, so the next game will be a real test for us,” said Palladino.