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Gasperini awaits emotional return to Atalanta | The Express Tribune
Gian Piero Gasperini is preparing for a big return to Atalanta on Saturday. Photo: AFP
MILAN:
Gian Piero Gasperini is preparing for a big return to Atalanta on Saturday as his Roma team travel to Bergamo trying to stay in touch with Serie A’s title chasers.
In charge of Roma since the summer, Gasperini is an Atalanta icon for his role in the traditionally tiny club’s rise from also-rans to flamboyant top-four challengers and, in 2024, Europa League winners.
Gasperini was hand-picked to lead Roma at 67 by his predecessor Claudio Ranieri, who is still at the club as an advisor to the American owners.
After the phenomenal job he did in nine years at Atalanta, Gasperini will undoubtedly be hailed as a returning hero by Atalanta’s fervent home support at the Gewiss Stadium, until kick-off.
“It will definitely be emotional, but I’m happy to be be going back there with a Roma team in a good position in the table and in a positive place,” said Gasperini after Monday’s 3-1 win over Genoa.
“Going back to that stadium, those fans and the players who allowed me to have a great career will be a really great feeling.”
Roma sit fourth, three points behind league leaders Inter Milan, who host Bologna on Sunday night in the first round of fixtures in a packed January.
However, Roma have played a game more than Inter, AC Milan and Napoli, who are all ahead of Gasperini’s team at the top of the division. That trio missed league fixtures while contesting the Italian Super Cup in Saudi Arabia.
Saturday’s clash will be tricky even though Atalanta are 11 points behind Roma in 10th, as Raffaele Palladino has looked like the true heir to Gasperini ever since replacing Ivan Juric last month.
Last weekend’s narrow defeat to Inter was only Atalanta’s second at home this season and Roma have a poor record in matches against direct rivals — which Atalanta are regardless of their league position.
Roma have lost six times in Serie A this season, with four of those defeats coming against Inter, Milan, Napoli and fifth-placed Juventus who host lowly Lecce on Saturday.
One of Roma’s key problems has been goalscoring with just 20 netted in 17 league fixtures. Gasperini will be hoping Ireland striker Evan Ferguson repeats his form against Genoa, when his goal and assist were key to that win.
Player to watch: Rasmus Hojlund
Author of a brace at Cremonese last weekend, Hojlund is looking increasingly settled in Naples and will be crucial to Napoli maintaining their title defence with no sign of Romelu Lukaku’s return from injury.
Denmark striker Hojlund was brought in after Lukaku suffered a pre-season thigh injury that will likely keep him out longer than originally thought, with Italian media reporting that he may not be ready to play until February.
That leaves Hojlund as Conte’s man ahead of Sunday’s trip to face Lazio, with fellow summer signing Lorenzo Lucca on borrowed time at Napoli.
The 22-year-old Dane has scored nine times in all competitions for Napoli, who trail Inter by two points, since signing from Manchester United in August.
Key stats
4 – The number of points separating the top fives teams in Serie A.
9 – Hojlund’s goal tally for Napoli.
Fixtures (all times GMT)
Friday
Cagliari v AC Milan (1945)
Saturday
Como v Udinese (1130), Genoa v Pisa, Sassuolo v Parma (1400), Juventus v Lecce (1700), Atalanta v Roma (1945)
Sunday
Lazio v Napoli (1230), Fiorentina v Cremonese (1400), Verona v Torino (1700), Inter Milan v Bologna (1945)
Wilson shined in Washington’s win over the New York Rangers, which came not long after Canada’s Olympic roster announcement.
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PHILADELPHIA — Tanner McKee is expected to start at quarterback as the Eagles are planning to rest some starters for Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Washington Commanders, a source confirmed Wednesday.
McKee, the 2023 sixth-round pick out of Stanford, is expected to get the nod over starter Jalen Hurts as the Eagles are prioritizing rest and avoiding injury while still hoping to win the game.
The Eagles currently hold the No. 3 seed in the NFC and can move up to No. 2 with a win over Washington and a Chicago Bears loss to the Detroit Lions. The Eagles will play either the San Francisco 49ers or Los Angeles Rams if they remain the No. 3 seed, or they will face the Green Bay Packers if they get the second seed.
Coach Nick Sirianni did not disclose his plans Wednesday, saying he wanted to address the players in their team meeting first, but he did say they were “nearing” a decision.
The Eagles had a week of rest prior to their two Super Bowl runs under him during the 2022 and 2024 seasons. The one year they did try to improve their seeding, star receiver A.J. Brown injured his knee in the 2023 regular-season finale against the New York Giants and was unavailable for their wild-card playoff loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
McKee is 33-of-48 for 356 yards with four touchdowns and zero interceptions in spot duty in Philadelphia.
“When you see Tanner, he’s really good about knowing where to go with the football, seeing the defense and being able to deliver things accurately,” Sirianni said. “It’s a great room where those guys feed off each other and learn from each other.”
The Philadelphia Inquirer was first to report the Eagles’ plan to rest starters.
TEMPE, Ariz. — Marvin Harrison Jr.’s second NFL season is in the books.
On Wednesday, coach Jonathan Gannon ruled the Cardinals wide receiver out of Arizona’s season finale against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday because of a left foot injury Harrison suffered in Sunday’s loss at the Cincinnati Bengals.
Harrison had been dealing with a right heel injury that he suffered in Week 13 at Tampa Bay.
Harrison’s season ends with 41 catches for 608 yards and four touchdowns.
Injuries defined Harrison’s season. He played in just 12 games, missing two because of appendicitis surgery, two because of his heel and Sunday because of his foot.
“I thought he did some good things,” Gannon said of Harrison. “We moved him around the formation. He scored points for us. He got open, caught it. I don’t think he has hit his ceiling and look forward to the future with that.”
Gannon didn’t want to get into what it would take for Harrison to hit his ceiling.
“We’ll talk about that later,” Gannon said. “I’m not in the mental space right now thinking about development of players as we move forward. I’m trying to stay focused on today in the Rams.”
Gannon said he was pleased with how Harrison played after adding 11 pounds of muscle last offseason.
“I thought that he made some contested catches because of some size,” Gannon said. “And we’ll look at that in the future and see if that’s the right thing.”
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