Milan (AFP) – Gian Piero Gasperini will stay on to coach Atalanta in their first-ever season in the Champions League, the Serie A club confirmed on Wednesday.
“With great satisfaction I can confirm that the relationship between Atalanta and our coach Gian Piero Gasperini continues,” club president Antonio Percassi said on the club’s website.
“A growth path that moves forward with the aim of giving continuity to what has been important in the last three seasons.”
Atalanta finished third in Serie A to secure Champions League qualification for the first time in the club’s 111-year history.
The club from Bergamo also reached the Coppa Italia final.
It will be a third contract extension for Gasperini since he took over in June 2016.
The club did not give details of the extension which is reported to be until June 2022 and worth around 2.2 million euro ($2.4 million) per season.
The 61-year-old former Inter Milan, Palermo and Genoa boss had been touted as a possible replacement for interim Roma coach Claudio Ranieri.
But he has reportedly been convinced to stay after receiving guarantees that the club will strengthen for the Champions League and not sell their top players.
Atalanta scored the highest number of goals last season with 77 — seven more than champions Juventus.
