“Atalanta are a team with a very modern approach to the game,” said head coach Gerardo Seoane after the draw at his press conference before the Bundesliga home game against Arminia Bielefeld on 26 February. “It’ll be an exciting and tough task against Atalanta.” The Italians’ performances from recent years confirms that expectation.
Based in the city of Bergamo in the northern Lombardy region, Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio – as the club is now known – traces its roots back to 1907. It is named after the female athlete Atalanta of Greek mythology. They have spent over 60 seasons in Serie A but are yet to be champions of Italy. Nicknamed La Dea (The Goddess), their best finish was in 2018/19 when they came third. They went on to repeat that feat in the following two seasons. Atalanta have finished in the top half of the table in each of the last five years. And that positive development is inextricably linked with one man.
That is head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. The 64-year-old joined from Genoa for the 2016/17 season. The former midfielder (59 Serie A appearances) began his coaching career in the Juventus academy. His first senior position as head coach was at Crotone. He’s since had spells in charge of Genoa, Inter Milan, Palermo, Genoa again before coming to Atalanta. Gasperini was named Serie A Coach of the Year in 2019 and 2020.
The best-known name in the Atalanta team from a German perspective actually left the club in January, with Robin Gosens moving to Inter. But the squad remains full of real quality even without the left-back. Mario Pasalic, Marten de Roon and Remo Freuler are key in midfield. Top scorer is Colombian striker Duvan Zapata, but he’s been out with a muscle strain of late.
Atalanta’s home ground is the Gewiss Stadium, known in European competition as the Stadio di Bergamo. Opened in 1928, the club acquired the stadium in 2017. It is located in the north of Bergamo and can currently hold just under 20,000 spectators due to construction work.
Bayer 04 turned in a dominant performance in a 7-0 win against fifth-tier side Sportfreunde Baumberg in their first friendly ahead of the 2026/27 season. A brace from debutant Afonso Moreira (19', 27') either side of a Christian Kofane strike (23') put the Werkself 3-0 up in the first of the two 35-minute halves in Monheim am Rhein. After the break, Victor Boniface (49', 53'), Robert Andrich (56') and Nathan Tella (67') scored for the completely changed Leverkusen team. It was therefore a successful friendly debut for new head coach Carles Martínez and his team, although the hosts also had something to celebrate despite the defeat: the match marked the inauguration of Baumberg's new ground, the MEGA Stadion.
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Attention, Werkself fans: the new Away Matchday Collection is now available from the Bayer 04 online shop and the Fanwelt. It includes t-shirts, zip tops and jackets.
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Season tickets for the Werkself home matches in the new Google Pixel Women’s Bundesliga season are now on general sale. The season ticket is valid for all 13 matches at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium. The first home match will be played between 28 and 31 August against the runners-up, VfL Wolfsburg, followed by the clash with the German champions, Bayern Munich, between 11 and 14 September.
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A new team, a new environment, a new challenge—and yet one thing remains the same for Afonso Moreira: his attitude. Total dedication, discipline, and the drive to improve every day have defined the Portuguese player since his early days at Sporting CP. “Even back then, I realized I had to work hard to achieve my goals,” said the 21-year-old. His parents also instilled those values in him from a young age. Values that have driven him ever since, accompanied him to France when he signed for Lyon, and now also form the foundation for his new chapter at Bayer 04. At a media session, the lightning-fast winger spoke about his values, as well as his new teammates, the new coach, and his targets at the club.
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