Atalanta clinched a crucial 3-2 victory against Empoli, extending their lead at the top of Serie A to two points ahead of second-place Napoli. The win, secured by a late goal from Charles De Ketelaere, marked another step in Atalanta's remarkable season, with their 13th home victory—an impressive feat that tops Europe's top five leagues.
Empoli started strong, with Lorenzo Colombo scoring his 10th away league goal of 2024 in the 19th minute, putting the visitors ahead. Atalanta, however, responded well, equalizing shortly after through De Ketelaere. The Belgian forward rose to meet a precise cross from Davide Zappacosta, heading the ball past Empoli’s goalkeeper to make it 1-1 just before the 30-minute mark.
The match saw another twist before the break. In first-half stoppage time, Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman put the hosts ahead, calmly finishing from close range after a well-timed assist. The 2-1 lead seemed to give Atalanta control of the game, but Empoli fought back after halftime. In the 57th minute, Atalanta's Berat Djimsiti fouled Alberto Grassi inside the box, allowing Sebastiano Esposito to convert the resulting penalty, leveling the score at 2-2.
With the match appearing set for a draw, De Ketelaere again stepped up. In the 86th minute, he expertly weaved into the box and fired a low shot past Empoli's keeper to score his second of the game, securing the victory for Atalanta.
Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini praised the team's resilience, especially considering the quality of their opponents. "We came back against a team that played well," Gasperini said in his post-match interview with Sky Italia. He acknowledged that lapses in concentration, coupled with a VAR-awarded penalty, led to the goals conceded but emphasized that the win was a significant achievement. Gasperini also lauded De Ketelaere for his performance, noting his improved confidence and heading ability. "He gained confidence and improved his heading ability, as he showed today," said Gasperini.
Atalanta's home form this season has been exceptional, with the team having won 19 games at Gewiss Stadium, their best tally since the 1929-30 season. This also includes a club-record 124 goals scored, surpassing their previous record of 126 goals from that same campaign. Their current 11-game winning streak is the longest in Serie A history, and Atalanta’s attacking prowess continues to be led by their deadly trio of Mateo Retegui, who has scored 14 goals, Lookman with 12, and De Ketelaere, who now has 10 goals to his name.
This attacking strength has made Atalanta the only team in Europe’s top five leagues with three players scoring at least ten goals each this season. The last two teams to achieve such a feat, Napoli in 2022-23 and Inter in 2020-21, both went on to win Serie A. With this form, Atalanta’s dreams of securing their first-ever Scudetto are looking more promising than ever.
