Atalanta marked their maiden game in the Champions League knockout stages with a resounding 4-1 win over Valencia in the first leg of their last-16 tie at San Siro on Wednesday.
Gian Piero Gasperini's side dominated from the outset against their LaLiga opponents and opened the scoring after 16 minutes, Hans Hateboer claiming his first goal in the competition with a close-range finish.
Josip Ilicic doubled their advantage shortly before the interval with a fine strike, before Remo Freuler curled home a third from long distance in the 57th minute.
Hateboer then claimed a second five minutes later, and while Denis Cheryshev pulled a goal back for Valencia, the Italian side will be supremely confident of finishing off the job in Spain in three weeks' time.
Match Events
16' GOAL! Atalanta 1-0 Valencia (Hateboer)
Gomez advances menacingly towards the edge of the area as the Valencia defence fearfully back off and he capitalises by stroking a devious delivery across the face of goal and towards the back post where Hateboer crashes it into an empty net!
42' GOAL! Atalanta 2-0 Valencia (Ilicic)
Pasalic innocuously squares a pass to Ilicic on the edge of the area, where the attacker craftily shimmies past a challenge before lashing a brilliant shot across goal and into the top left corner from 20 yards!
57' GOAL! Atalanta 3-0 Valencia (Freuler)
The hosts have been pressing the Valencia backline furiously and it pays off as Gomez robs Parejo before Freuler takes over and whips a curling shot from 25 yards that bends delightfully beyond Domenech and into the top corner by the far post!
62' GOAL! Atalanta 4-0 Valencia (Hateboer)
Pasalic slips a clever pass beyond the offside Ilicic and into the path of Hateboer who holds off Diakhaby before racing into the area and squeezing a weak shot in at the near post beyond a helpless Domenech!
66' GOAL! Atalanta 4-1 Valencia (Cheryshev)
Palomino makes a costly error as he hits a wayward pass across the backline towards Hateboer, allowing Cheryshev to nip in and take full advantage by drilling a powerful, low effort into the bottom corner from 20 yards!
ishti
4568
ATLANTIC Ocean is way bigger than ValenSEA
JohnWick7
3269
If life gives you a Blue Back Italian Jersey in the UCL, make it Atalanta and not Inter😉
arbazk7
811
it's good to see football is still going beyond the money the culture of football is still alive and Atlanta showed money is not the only thing which give u success hope Atlanta can go beyond the knockout stages and prove tactical football is way better than money paying culture
nome3737
679
Atalanta be welcoming themselves to the quarter-finals already in the first leg....
KingJerryTheGreat
612
It's funny how they keep calling us farmers and we keep knocking them OUT of UCL. Maybe we teach them how to farm........
DrAdnanAhmad
547
Pirates of Valencia are in search of their Ship which is drowned in ATLETIC OCEAN 😝😝😝😝😝😝
professoroats
537
Its official. Atalanta is the new Serie A name in the Champions league town. Remember the name: Hans Hateboer. Atalanta has more goals than Barcelona this campaign in UCL. They deserve our respect.
Nayeemrpi
528
Laliga network doesn’t work at 🇮🇹
AKIN21
504
Italy is disgracing Spain teams[Crylaugh][Crylaugh]
JuniorGunner•••
496
Congratulations Atalanta, first team to qualify for the quarter finals
Rashnic/GOAT/CR7
414
Valencia will qualify
combination
381
Gif here. Like me: http://bit.ly/2P9ebmI
JàmesŒ
377
Valencia vs Barca 2:0 Atalanta Valencia 4:1 Atalanta be like: Give us Barca next
Nadan7
362
When life gives you Atalanta,make it Atlantic Ocean.
Mik008
359
Atalanta vs Valencia tonight
UCLbaby
328
This win is for all those Barcelona idiots saying Serie A is a farmers league and La liga is more competitive [Crylaugh][Crylaugh][Crylaugh]
ilimitededition™
265
I remember people laughing at the “easy group” we got this season. Atalanta are now 4-1 up against Valencia in the biggest game of their club’s history They’ve also scored 20 goals more than Roma, 17 more than Juve, 14 more than Inter, 8 more than Lazio & are 4th in the Serie A
Cuhclpsu
233
going home
Nadan7
239
When life gives you Va, make it Valentine’s Day not Valencia
Hacabceory
235
OFFICIAL: ATALANTA of 2020 has replaced AJAX of 2019 in UCL
Andy_Mac
228
This Atalanta team has been really impressive these past few months and they're a wonderful team to watch these days. Credit to Gasperini and the work he has put into this club over the past 3-4 years. 80% of the job done. Now they must not capitulate at the Mestalla in the 2nd leg.
Arigosachi
218
Laliga farmers league
DrFranckeinstein
198
Valencia corpse lost in the Atlantic ocean. RIP Valencia no quarter finals for you
KingJerryTheGreat
197
It's just funny how they keep calling us farmers and we keep knocking them OUT of UCL. Maybe we teach them how to farm..........
JohnWick7
120
if you feel like Giving up in life, think of How Atalanta Started in the Group stage and where they are today