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Gasperini on Champions League: 'I'd dampen the enthusiasm around'

Gasperini on Champions League: 'I'd dampen the enthusiasm around'

Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini has prefered to stay under the radar about possibly proceeding into the second round of the UEFA Champions League this season.

La Dea have been placed in Group C, which has English Champions and last season's quarter-finalists in Manchester City. The other two teams are Shakhtar Donetsk and Dinamo Zagreb.

In an interview that the Atalanta boss gave to Corriere della Sera, he talked about the possibility of going through into the second round of the competition.

He said: ​"Third place in the group would guarantee us access to the Europa League . Then there are those who think that we can also reach seconds. On paper, Dinamo is the most affordable opponent, but like Shakhtar it is a team used for years to win championships.

"I would like to dampen the euphoria I feel around: it is true that on the pitch it goes in 11 against 11 without thinking about resources economics behind it, but qualification is to be achieved: our opponents have been playing Champions for years."