Kessie’s goal and personality lift Atalanta past Venezia as Sarri flags second-half lapse
Franck Kessie scored his first Serie A goal since returning to Atalanta as Sarri’s side ended a three-game losing run, though the coach was unhappy with how his team managed the closing stages.
Franck Kessie opened the scoring as Atalanta beat Venezia 3-1, ending a run of three straight defeats and giving Maurizio Sarri reason to praise the midfielder's impact both on and off the pitch.
Kessie, who rejoined Atalanta this summer after five seasons at Milan, lobbed Venezia goalkeeper Filip Stankovic for his first Serie A goal since his return, according to Football Italia.
Speaking at his post-match press conference, reported by Football Italia via TuttoMercatoWeb, Sarri singled out the Ivorian's character. "He's a lad with great personality, and you could see that on the pitch," he said, adding that "lads like that are rare, and that's an important detail in the dressing room."
Kessie himself downplayed his contribution when speaking to DAZN, stressing relief after the losing streak. "We're happy with the win, as we were coming off three defeats," he said, adding that adapting to the new system has not been straightforward: "It's not easy with the new formation, but we have to listen to the coach and give everything."
He also pointed to teammate Nikola Krstovic, who scored twice. "I'm happy to help, just as I'm happy for Krstovic, who can gain confidence," Kessie said, before responding to a question about a possible return to San Siro with Milan: "Always ready."
Why the control slipped after half-time
Atalanta were 3-0 up inside half an hour through Kessie and Krstovic's double, a scoreline that reflected total dominance in the opening exchanges. Sarri rated that opening period highly, calling it a first half of a high level.
The picture changed once the interval passed. By his own admission, Sarri's side stopped pressing Venezia in their own half, and the visitors were able to find spells of the upper hand as a result.
That drop in pressing intensity matters because it is the foundation of how Atalanta are set up to defend from the front, squeezing opponents into mistakes rather than sitting off. Once that trigger disappeared, so did the control Atalanta had enjoyed.
Sarri also flagged sloppiness in possession from deep positions, which compounded the problem by handing Venezia territory and momentum they had not earned through their own play. He did, however, note a response: when Venezia had a man sent off, he said the team came alive again, and he wants more bravery from his players in those moments.
Elmas suspension complicates Milan trip
Eljif Elmas was dismissed late in the game after VAR upgraded a yellow card into a red, and the suspension rules him out of Atalanta's trip to Milan on Sunday.
Sarri did not defend the challenge. "He could have avoided going in like that at the end with that reckless challenge," he said, making clear he viewed the incident as avoidable rather than a refereeing injustice.
The timing is awkward given Elmas was one of the players Sarri had used to add balance in midfield on the day. Raoul Bellanova and Giorgio Scalvini were also withdrawn midway through the second half, with Sarri reporting that Bellanova has pain in his glute and that Scalvini still needs to be assessed, leaving some uncertainty over their availability for the games ahead.
A system still being worked out
Sarri began the match in a 4-2-3-1, selecting Krstovic ahead of Gianluca Scamacca up front before switching the side back into a more familiar 4-3-3 shape. He explained the thinking behind both calls, saying he wanted more depth up front and had picked Elmas specifically to add balance to the side.
That willingness to shuffle shape mid-match suggests Sarri is still searching for the right balance between the extra attacking option a front two can offer and the control a recognised front three with Elmas in support typically gives Atalanta.
Jonathan Rowe's display drew a more measured verdict. Sarri said the winger did well for the first 60 minutes before fading, and added that in his view Rowe still has a lot of room for improvement.
Atalanta turn to the Conference League next, hosting Pafos on Thursday, before Sunday's trip to Milan without Elmas. Sarri wants the application from the first half against Venezia carried into both fixtures, saying his side need to control games for long spells rather than allow the kind of lapse that let Venezia back into contention.