Atalanta vs Hapoel Tel Aviv: Sarri Prepares for Tough Conference League Clash

Maurizio Sarri is braced for what he calls a “difficult match” as Atalanta try to finish the job against Hapoel Tel Aviv in their Conference League play-off on Thursday, with the tie finely balanced after a goalless first leg at the New Balance Arena.

The scoreline is level. The mood in Bergamo is not. Sarri wants conviction, but no arrogance.

“We have to be convinced we can do it,” he told Sky Sport Italia, via TuttoMercatoWeb. “Clearly without becoming presumptuous. We want to play in a European competition. It’ll be tough against a team in great physical condition.”

Belief, but no shortcuts

The first leg offered a warning. Hapoel Tel Aviv were organised, disciplined, and dangerous when space appeared. Sarri saw enough to know this second chapter will not be straightforward.

“It’ll be a difficult match, we saw that in the first leg,” he said, stressing again that Atalanta must combine confidence with respect for an opponent that has already come through serious tests.

Elyaniv Barda’s side have knocked out Ludogorets and GKS Katowice to reach this stage, and they will again be out of their usual surroundings. The return leg will be played at a neutral venue in Hungary rather than in Israel, another twist in a tie already defined by fine margins.

De Ketelaere back, but on a tight leash

Sarri’s attacking options are slowly returning, but not yet at full power. Charles De Ketelaere is available again, though the coach is still weighing up how far he can push him.

“He’s trained very little after the small adductor problem,” Sarri admitted. “He did half an hour in the league, his usage will have to be partial. I don’t know whether to start him or bring him on, also because we don’t know how long the match will last.”

It leaves Sarri with a tactical puzzle: use De Ketelaere’s quality from the first whistle and risk running out of legs, or keep him as a weapon for a long, tense night that could stretch beyond 90 minutes.

Scamacca or Krstovic – or both?

The debate does not end there. The centre-forward role remains an open question, with Gianluca Scamacca and Nikola Krstovic pushing each other for the starting shirt.

“I haven’t decided yet,” Sarri said. “They’re doing well and both seem to be improving. Over the season they’ll alternate based on who is in better shape, then we’ll also play them together.”

The possibility of seeing them side by side is not for this one night alone. It is part of a broader plan, a hint that Sarri sees flexibility and internal competition as central to Atalanta’s season.

Hapoel’s blueprint unlikely to change

Sarri does not expect many surprises from Hapoel Tel Aviv. The Italian coach saw a clear identity in the first leg and is preparing for more of the same.

“They gather well and then break well,” he said. “I don’t think they’ll change their attitude much, we’ll see.”

Compact, ready to spring forward, dangerous in transition. Atalanta will have to force openings without losing balance, knowing one mistake could tilt the tie.

Defence still learning Sarri’s code

If there is a department under the microscope, it is the back line. Sarri did not sugar-coat the reality of where his defensive unit stands in terms of understanding his demands.

“It’s still lacking, there’s no point saying otherwise today,” he admitted. “The most difficult moment will be when they think they know how to do certain things and instead they still aren’t able to.”

It is a classic Sarri warning: the danger of believing the work is done when the automatisms are only half-formed. Against a side that “gather well and break well”, any lapse in that learning curve could be punished.

Atalanta stand one match away from the Conference League proper. Sarri has his doubts, his dilemmas, his tactical details to refine. What he no longer has is time.