Atalanta utility man Robin Gosens has started a war of words with Paris Saint-Germain ahead of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final clash.
Gosens has played a prominent role in Atalanta’s inexorable Champions League march to the quarter-finals.
La Dea have produced an outstanding campaign in their first-ever appearance in Europe’s most prestigious club competition.
After enduring a torrid start to their group-stage campaign, the high-flying Serie A team fought their way through to the knockout rounds thanks to back-to-back wins on matchday 5 and 6, respectively.
Gosens and co. went on to run riot versus Valencia in the round of 16, securing an overwhelming 8-4 aggregate success to reach the quarter-finals.
Atalanta and PSG will lock horns at the Estadio da Luz on Wednesday night, and Gosens has started a war of words in the build-up to their clash.
The highly-rated Dutchman believes the fact the Bergamo-based side play as a team – unlike PSG – will give them a much-needed leg-up.
“We have a double advantage in this tie,” the 26-year-old said, as transmitted by Football Italia.
“The first is match fitness because in Italy the season resumed and came to a conclusion, whereas that was not the case in France. Apart from the two Cup Finals, they haven’t played in four or five months.
“The second advantage is that we move as a team. PSG have many top players who can decide a game with a single individual move, but they are not a team unit.”
Gosens has also made sure to emphasize the team chemistry under Gian Piero Gasperini’s tutelage.
“The hard work we do during the week here is incredible. Honestly, I played regularly in Holland, but I sweat three times as much with Atalanta.
“If we don’t have a game during the week, we do strength exercises.
“If you don’t have a lot of air in the lungs, you cannot play our style of football, which is both hard work and risky at the same time. But not a day goes by when we don’t also work with the ball in training.
“Gasperini always tells us: ‘If we are not capable of playing the ball, we won’t be able to put it in the net.’”