The former Nerazzurri, today at Sevilla, told La Nacion: «In the Champions League against Midtjylland I had not respected the tactical indications and in the interval Gasp sought a physical confrontation. I admitted I was wrong, but I also wanted your apology. You never arrive ». The technician’s reply is ready: “The real reasons for the farewell are others”
Papu Gomez’s farewell to Atalanta, which took place last January to go to Sevilla, caused a sensation. Seven months later, in a long interview with the Argentine newspaper The nation, the former playmaker of the Bergamo team breaks the silence on the reasons for the break with the Goddess, triggering the resentful reply of the technician. But let’s go in order. “Gasperini tried to physically attack me because I disobeyed a tactical indication. From that moment on I said enoughPapu explained to the Argentine newspaper. To then reconstruct the stages of separation. It all started with what happened in the Champions League match in Bergamo against Midtjylland il 1 ° dicembre 2020: «I was also wrong because I had not obeyed a tactical delivery. There were 10 minutes left in the first half, Gasperini asked me to move to the right, but I was playing very well on the left. So I told him no. Imagine what that means, in the field today, with all the cameras. I knew that the coach would be angry, that he would take me off at half-time and indeed he did. But what then happened in the locker room went beyond all limits».
The replica
Gasperini’s reply is ready, which a The Gazzetta dello Sport he explained: «Gomez’s behaviors and attitudes, on and off the pitch, had become unacceptable for the coach and for his teammates. The physical attack was his, not mine, but the real reason he left Bergamo is because he seriously disrespected the owners of the club. I hope that Gomez can continue to be talked about with his performances, as he did at Atalanta ».
What happened in the locker room
A confirmation of those rumors that have been circulating in Bergamo for months: “Gasperini tried to beat me. I can understand arguing, but I cannot accept physical assault. So, after this fact, I asked Antonio Percassi for a meeting and I explained that for me there were no problems in continuing together, even admitting my faults. As a captain I had not behaved in the right way, I had been a bad example by not obeying a direction from the manager. But I asked the president what to go on I needed Gasperini’s apologies. A club cannot tolerate the coach trying to attack a player ». The apologies of the Atalantino coach, however, never arrived: “The next day there was a whole team meeting. I apologized to the coach and my teammates for what had happened. And I got no apology from the technician. So how was it to be understood? Was what I did wrong and was what he did right? After a few days I told the president that I didn’t want to continue working with Gasperini at Atalanta. The president told me he wouldn’t let me go. The push and pull started and in the end I lost it, ending up training alone with reserves ».
“Atalanta threw me in the garbage”
Seven years in Bergamo (252 matches and 59 goals) and the many milestones canceled in a few minutes: «After all I had done for the club. Yes, they misbehaved and I can’t deny it. Percassi didn’t have the balls to ask Gasperini to apologize to me. It would all work out. Then I closed the doors of Italian football. I was the best midfielder in Serie A and they didn’t want to give me to a direct rival. I had offers from Arabia and the United States, they just wanted to send me there. Thank God, Sevilla eventually came out. It was fundamental for me because I wanted at all costs to play the America’s Cup with Argentina (later won, ed) and so it was possible ». What disappointed the Papu, however, was not Gasperini’s lack of apology, but the behavior of Atalanta: «After so many years together, with the good relationship we had. My children went to school with the children of the Percassi family, we shared a lot of things. Then they threw me in the garbage. One thing that still hurts me now. With a coach it is normal to argue, these are things that happen often, even in other jobs it happens. But the reaction of the company made me suffer seriously. The reasons why they did so? Cheap. Gasperini is one of the best coaches in Europe, who with his work increases the value of the players in the squad. They chose him and not me, because they knew he would continue to guarantee them money from the sales of the players ».
Love for Bergamo
Gomez also had a thought for Bergamo and its former fans: «The city deserves to know the truth. And it’s right for me too. From one day to the next they made me disappear and the intention was to put all the blame on me. They wanted to make it appear that I was going to Seville for the money. It’s time for the Atalanta fans to know how it went ». Since that time the Papu has detached from the Goddess (“I don’t see his matches anymore, otherwise I’m sick”, he had said long ago) to settle in his new league, La Liga. Although Bergamo remained in his heart: «I miss the walk in the upper town, going to eat with my friends. I went from zero degrees in Bergamo to 21 degrees in Seville. They have lunch around three in the afternoon, in Italy I ate at 12.30, maximum at 13. Once here I went to the restaurant at 13.30 and it was closed, “he said.
The wife and Socrates
Last December, his wife took care of defending the Papu, Linda Raff. Gomez, together with Ilicic who had taken his defense, had not been called up for the away match in Udine on 6 December (match postponed due to rain), and then signed a sort of armistice for the delicate Champions League match against Ajax , won by Atalanta with a lot of qualification for the round of 16 (9 December, 0-1: goal by Muriel). Until the bench in the last match, the one against Fiorentina (13 December). And while we were talking about the sale (which then there was), the wife had taken to the field of her social network. On Instagram he had published “The story of the three sieves”, a sort of parable attributed to Socrates. “Neither true, nor good, nor useful.” A way to take her husband’s side and warn the fans of the Goddess that everything they had told did not correspond to reality. Here is the text: «One day Socrates was approached by a man in full agitation who said to him: ‘Listen Socrates, I have to tell you something important about your friend.’ «Wait a moment – interrupted the sage – Did you pass what you want to tell me through the three sieves?». “Three sieves?” Asked the other, amazed. «Yes my dear, let’s see if what you want to tell me passes through the three sieves. The first sieve is that of truth: are you convinced that everything you want to tell me is true? ». “Actually no, I’ve only heard it from others.” “But then did you at least pass it through the second sieve, that of goodness?” Even if what you want to tell is not entirely true, is it at least something good? ». The man replied hesitantly: «I must confess that I am not. Quite the contrary… ». “And have you thought about the third sieve?” Have you wondered what’s the point of telling me these things about my friend? Is it any use? ‘ «Well, not really…». “You see – continued the essay – if what you want to tell me is not true, neither good, nor useful, then I prefer not to know and I advise you to forget it”.
August 18, 2021 (change August 18, 2021 | 11:36)
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