Maurizio Sarri Prepares for Difficult Match Against Hapoel Tel Aviv
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 poised after a goalless first leg at the New Balance Arena.
The Italian coach, speaking to Sky Sport Italia via TuttoMercatoWeb, pushed a clear message: confidence, without arrogance.
“It’ll be a difficult match, we saw that in the first leg, but we have to be convinced we can do it,” Sarri said. “Clearly without becoming presumptuous. We want to play in a European competition. It’ll be tough against a team in great physical condition.”
De Ketelaere back, but handled with care
There is good news, with Charles De Ketelaere available again, though Sarri is still weighing up exactly how much he can lean on him.
“He’s trained very little after the small adductor problem,” the coach explained. “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.”
So the Belgian is an option, but not yet the full version of himself. A weapon to be used sparingly, and at the right moment.
Scamacca or Krstovic – or both?
Up front, the dilemma is just as open. Gianluca Scamacca or Nikola Krstovic? Sarri is in no rush to reveal his hand.
“I haven’t decided yet,” he admitted when asked about his centre-forward. “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 hint is clear: this isn’t a fixed hierarchy but a live competition, with the possibility of seeing the pair on the pitch at the same time once the campaign settles.
Hapoel’s threat and a neutral stage
The first leg offered a clear picture of Hapoel Tel Aviv’s approach, and Sarri is not expecting any surprises.
“They gather well and then break well,” he said. “I don’t think they’ll change their attitude much, we’ll see.”
Elyaniv Barda’s team arrive with momentum, having already knocked out Ludogorets and GKS Katowice to reach this stage. The return leg will not be in Israel but at a neutral venue in Hungary, a twist that strips away some of the traditional home advantage but also adds another layer of unpredictability to a tie that is still on a knife-edge.
Defence still learning Sarri’s script
If Atalanta are to navigate that tension, Sarri knows his defensive line must accelerate their understanding of his ideas. On that front, he did not sugar-coat the reality.
“It’s still lacking, there’s no point saying otherwise today,” he said of his back line’s grasp of his methods. “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 warning as much as an analysis. Belief is essential, but misjudged certainty can be fatal in Europe — especially in a tie that could easily go the distance.
