Sarri calls Atalanta “emotionally vulnerable” after Kairat draw

After a 1-1 draw with Kairat, Maurizio Sarri described Atalanta as “emotionally vulnerable”. At the New Balance Arena, the club had to settle for a point: Nikola Krstović equalised late after Gual had opened the scoring for Kairat.

Sarri acknowledged that this result alone could not resolve the team’s difficulties. He pointed to a squad assembled in challenging circumstances, with many players injured and others whose physical condition limited the time they could play. “It was difficult to think we could recover tonight,” he said.

The coach also defended his players’ commitment against Kairat while identifying mental fragility as a problem. He said Atalanta had kept pursuing a result until the 95th minute. In terms of their play, he lamented the mistakes that allowed the opposition to score and urged his side to be quicker in their movement, passing and decision-making.

Injuries are also affecting the team’s preparation. Sarri said they made it harder to establish tactical patterns, particularly when players returned without having trained enough with their teammates. He felt it was too early to decide which players best suited the team’s evolving style, arguing that a proper assessment would be possible at the end of the campaign. He also said Krstović was one of five players whose physical assessments indicated a higher risk of injury, making Scamacca’s selection necessary.

Despite those obstacles, Sarri said qualification remained possible, either directly or through the play-offs, provided injured players could return and the team addressed several shortcomings. He also noted that Atalanta finished the match with four defenders who had come through the club’s academy.

Finally, the coach said the team owed its supporters, who had cheered before expressing their disappointment at the final whistle. He called on the group to commit to repaying that support. Sarri also sees Krstović as a potential leader, not through speeches but through a competitive spirit that could spread to his teammates.