Atalanta returned to a policy of persistence this season and it eventually paid off for them. Towards the end of last season, the club got rid of the man who had brought them up to Serie A and had kept them afloat for three consecutive seasons. They were on a dreadful run of form and were just a few points above the relegation-zone but Stefano Colantuono's dismissal in March last year still proved to be a huge shock to the fans and observers alike. Edy Reja managed to scrape survival in the final few weeks but this season was to be even more challenging for the veteran coach. A run of 14 matches without a win in Serie A at the turn of the year left Atalanta in dire straits and staring relegation in the face. The club had the chance to pull the trigger on Reja and not many would have batted an eyelid about it but they decided not to go down the same route they did with Colantuono. Indeed, they stuck with the former Lazio boss and it paid off as he eventually led them to a comfortable mid-table finish. It was done under difficult circumstances as some stalwarts left the club in January with Maxi Moralez sold and German Denis also leaving for pastures new. That led to the terrible run of form but the ship was eventually steadied and Atalanta picked up the points they needed to stave off fears of the drop. Alejandro Gomez filled the void in attack with some dynamic performances which saw him end the season as both top goalscorer and top provider. It will be interesting to see if the club now backs Reja in the transfer market to add much needed talent to the squad.
