The Argentine Cristian Romero, with the first goal of his career in the Champions League, gave Atalanta a golden point on Tuesday against Mitjylland (1-1) to keep his team with full options to qualify for the round of 16. final.
Despite not being able to break the modest Danish Mitjylland, who arrived in Bergamo already condemned to be bottom of group C, Atalanta added a key point to reach the last day as second classified, four behind the leader Liverpool, and with a unit of advantage over Ajax, third.
Atalanta and Ajax will face each other next week in Amsterdam and it will be enough for the Italian team to add a tie to seal their second consecutive classification to the round of 16, after the historic achievement of last year, when they finished their adventure in the quarterfinals against Paris Saint Germain.
Winning Mitjylland on Tuesday would not change anything for Atalanta, as a loss against Ajax next week would also eliminate them.
Giampiero Gasperini once again lined up his star trident with “Papu” Gómez, Duván and Muriel and his team started strong, creating scoring chances, but paying for their lack of punch. In the first ten minutes the Dutchman Hans Hateboer and Duván, after a great action by Muriel, pardoned Mitjylland, who ended up scoring first.
In the 13th minute, in a free kick action in three-quarter position, Guinean striker Sory Kaba offered the ball to captain Alexander Scholz, who struck down the goalkeeper with a forehand to the bounce early.
Only Marseille, who reached matchday five with zero goals for and nine against, started this Champions League worse than Mitjylland, but the Danish team managed to go into the break ahead, despite the large number of chances created by the Atalanta.
Gasperini surprised by substituting Gómez during the break and his Atalanta struggled to pick up pace, but their momentum increased in the final stretch, when the forward was boosted by the young Ivorian talent Amad Diallo, just 18 years old.
After two consecutive chances for Diallo, both saved by an attentive Hansen goal, Atalanta collected the award for their drive in the 79th minute thanks to an authoritative header from Romero, who had joined the lead.
The Argentine, who joined Atalanta in the last market session on loan from Juventus with a purchase option set at 16 million euros, took advantage of a good cross from Hateboer to celebrate the first goal of his career in the Champions League.
The Argentine defender himself was the most dangerous of his team and the last time it was his turn in 95, although in that case he was unable to head accurately.
Despite not winning, Atalanta came out of the duel at the Gewiss Stadium with a very important point, which will allow them to visit the Amsterdam Arena and get into the round of 16 with a tie. EFE. (JL).