Atalanta made another step towards next season’s Champions League on Thursday after a 2-0 Serie A win over Napoli that extended the gap between them and the chasing pack.
Goals from Mario Pasalic and Robin Gosens early in the second half broke Napoli’s resistance at an all-but empty Gewiss Stadium and put Atalanta on 60 points in fourth place, and the final Champions League spot, with nine matches remaining.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s side, now unbeaten in nine in the league, are 15 points ahead of sixth-place Napoli and 12 in front of Roma, who slumped to a shock 2-0 defeat to lowly Udinese after having to play most of their match at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome with 10 men.
“It’s a shame that the fans aren’t here to see this,” said Gasperini, after another good performance behind closed doors.
“It’s really sad because I can imagine what kind of atmosphere there would have been for the match today.”
Napoli currently sit in the last Europa League spot.
