Gian Piero Gasperini

Born: 26 January 1958

Nationality: Italian

Place of birth: Grugliasco in Turin, Italy

Debut season as manager: 2003-2004

Current Club: Atalanta BC

Contract: 1 July 2016 – 30 June 2025 (extended in four different occasions)

Titles as manager:

Atalanta BC:

• UEFA Europa League Winner 2023/2024

Other Achievements as manager:

• Serie A 3rd-place finishes with Atalanta in the seasons of 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21
• Coppa Italia finalist with Atalanta in 2018–19, 2020–21 
• UEFA Champions League quarter-finalist with Atalanta in 2019–20 
• Serie A Coach of the Year 2019 and 2020
• Gazzetta dello Sports Awards Coach of the year 2017
• Panchina d´Oro 2019 and 2020
• Serie A Coach of the Month on multiple occasions 

Managerial Career:

Gian Piero Gasperini is an Italian football manager best known for his innovative tactics, high-energy style of play, and his remarkable success with Atalanta BC. He has earned a reputation for turning Atalanta into one of the most exciting and attacking teams in Europe, despite operating with a budget much smaller than many of Italy’s top clubs. Gasperini’s unique tactical approach has made him one of the most influential managers in Serie A in recent years.

Gasperini began his managerial career in the lower leagues, with his first significant job being at Crotone (2003–2006), where he introduced his pressing, high-energy football philosophy. His success there earned him a move to Genoa, where he really started to make a name for himself. Gasperini led Genoa to promotion from Serie B in 2007 and guided the team to several strong finishes in Serie A, including a 5th-place finish in 2008–09, which qualified Genoa for the UEFA Europa League.

After his success at Genoa, Gasperini was appointed manager of Inter Milan in 2011. However, his tenure at Inter was brief and disappointing. His insistence on using a 3-4-3 formation clashed with the squad’s preferences and capabilities at the time, and after a poor start to the season, he was dismissed after just five games in charge. This marked a low point in his career, but it did not stop him from sticking to his principles.

Gasperini returned to Genoa in 2013 and once again enjoyed success, securing respectable finishes in Serie A. His ability to build cohesive teams around his tactical ideas kept Genoa competitive, even with a relatively modest squad.

Gasperini’s true managerial renaissance came when he took over Atalanta in 2016. Under his leadership, Atalanta became one of the most entertaining and dynamic teams in Europe. Despite being a traditionally mid-table club, Gasperini transformed them into Serie A title challengers and regular participants in European competitions, including the UEFA Champions League.

Atalanta’s rise under Gasperini has been remarkable, with the club becoming a European powerhouse known for its relentless attacking style, high pressing, and ability to compete against Italy’s top teams despite financial limitations.

System of Play:

Tactically, Gasperini is known for using a fluid 3–4–3 formation and a spectacular high-risk hyper-offensive-minded possession-based system, which relies on the versatility of his midfielders and front line. His team’s playing style places more focus on scoring goals, off-the-ball movement and quick, short passes on the ground, and less focus on long balls and the defensive aspect of the game. As such, at times his trademark 3–4–3 system resembles a 3–4–1–2, 3–2–4–1, 3–5–2, or 3–4–2–1 formation, with energetic overlapping attacking wing-backs in lieu of wide midfielders, that provide width along the flanks and push up the pitch when going forward. He has also been known to use a 4–3–3 or 4–2–3–1 on occasion. His teams are known for playing a high defensive line and for being very compact defensively, with little distance between the attack and the defense. During the 1990s, Gasperini’s tactical philosophy and teams’ playing styles was inspired by Dutch football, namely Louis van Gaal’s Ajax side, rather than Arrigo Sacchi’s 4–4–2 system, which first led him to switch from a four to a three–man back-line. When defending off the ball, his teams are also known for the use of heavy pressing, but also apply elements of fluid man-marking across the entire pitch and often switch to a 5–4–1 formation defensively. This strategy has been described as “man-to-man pressing” in the media. Gasperini favors using hard-working and highly physical two-way players in midfield rather than a deep-lying playmaker, but also quick, elusive, even smaller but creative players upfront, in order to implement his system effectively; he has also been known to use a larger and more physical center-forward upfront on occasion, who is good in the air. Despite the acclaim he has garnered due to his offensive playing style, which has led him to obtain successful results with smaller teams, he has also drawn criticism for his unbalanced approach, and for his team’s tendency to concede goals as well as scoring them. As such, certain pundits have questioned whether his system would be equally effective with larger teams.

While Gasperini is known for his innovative and bold tactics, most notably his use of a highly flexible 3-4-1-2 or 3-4-2-1 formation. His approach focuses on intensity, positional rotations, and attacking football which can be broken down in the following way:

1. Three-man Defense: Gasperini’s teams almost always operate with a three-man defense. His center-backs are key to his system, as they are expected to be strong defensively while also contributing to build-up play. The outer center-backs are often tasked with stepping into midfield or overlapping into wide areas during attacks.
2. Wing-back Dominance: In Gasperini’s system, wing-backs play a crucial role, both defensively and offensively. They provide width, constantly push forward to support the attack, and often deliver crosses or cutbacks into the box. At Atalanta, players like Robin Gosens and Hans Hateboer thrived in this role, becoming vital components of the team’s attack.
3. High Press and Intensity: Gasperini’s teams are known for their intense pressing game. They work relentlessly to win the ball back high up the pitch, applying pressure on the opposition as soon as they lose possession. This high press is a hallmark of his style and is designed to disrupt the opponent’s build-up and create quick attacking opportunities.
4. Fluid Attack: In attack, Gasperini encourages fluidity and movement. His forwards, attacking midfielders, and wing-backs often interchange positions, creating overloads and confusion for opposing defenders. Players like Alejandro “Papu” Gómez, Josip Iličić, and Duván Zapata have thrived in this system, benefiting from the freedom to roam and combine in the final third.
5. Central Overloads: Gasperini frequently instructs his players to overload the central areas of the pitch, with midfielders and forwards converging in tight spaces to break down defenses. This creates numerical superiority in key areas and allows for intricate passing combinations to break the lines.
6. Attacking Midfielder or “Trequartista”: One of the most distinctive features of Gasperini’s tactics is the role of the attacking midfielder (often referred to as the trequartista in Italian football). In his 3-4-1-2 or 3-4-2-1, the player in the “1” position plays a crucial creative role, linking midfield with attack. For many years at Atalanta, this role was expertly filled by Papu Gómez, who was the creative fulcrum of the team, dictating play and contributing goals and assists.
7. Risk-taking Defensively: Gasperini’s system is high-risk, high-reward. The aggressive pressing and offensive style can leave his teams vulnerable to counter-attacks. However, he balances this by relying on highly disciplined defenders and athletic players in midfield who can recover quickly when possession is lost.

Tactical Flexibility:

Although Gasperini sticks to his core principles, he is also tactically flexible. He adjusts his formations and strategies based on the opponent and the context of the match. His system can shift between a 3-4-1-2, a 3-5-2, or even a more defensive 5-3-2 when necessary. This adaptability has allowed Atalanta to be competitive in both Serie A and European competitions.

Leadership and Man-Management:

Gasperini is known for his intense personality and demanding style. He pushes his players to work hard, both tactically and physically, and expects high levels of commitment to his system. His ability to improve players tactically and technically has been a key factor in Atalanta’s success. Many players who have worked under him, such as Gómez, Zapata, and Gosens, have credited Gasperini with helping them reach new levels in their careers.

However, his strict approach has also led to conflicts with some players, most notably Papu Gómez, who left Atalanta after a falling out with Gasperini in 2020. Despite these occasional tensions, most of his squad has bought into his philosophy, leading to an incredible team spirit and work ethic at Atalanta.

Summary:

Gian Piero Gasperini is one of the most respected managers in European football due to his dynamic, attacking style of play and his ability to develop players and maximize the potential of smaller clubs. His innovative use of a three-man defense, high pressing, and fluid attacking systems have made Atalanta a force to be reckoned with both in Italy and in Europe. While his style comes with risks, his teams are known for their relentless work rate, creativity, and ability to score goals in abundance. Gasperini’s success with Atalanta has earned him admiration for being a tactical pioneer, and he is regarded as one of the most influential managers in modern Italian football.