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Atalanta rising above 'underdog' status in Europa League

Atalanta rising above 'underdog' status in Europa League

Atalanta made their European debut this season in Europa League after a sensational 2016-17 which saw them finish fourth in Serie A, ahead of Lazio, AC Milan, and Inter Milan. This season, however, hasn’t been as kind as they sit in 12th place in Italy.

Despite their shaky domestic league season, Atalanta is making it’s debut season in Europe an unexpected success…by world standards. After destroying Everton at Goodison Park last night 1-5, the team from Bergamo finds themselves on top of a group which includes the Toffees and Lyon (semi-finalists last year).

To understand how unlikely their success has been, consider that Everton spent £143 million on new players this past summer. Over the last 10 years combined, Atalanta has spent £141 million.