Hapoel Tel Aviv Draws Italian Champions Atalanta in Conference League Playoff
Hapoel Tel Aviv has been drawn to face Atalanta in the playoff round of the UEFA Conference League, provided they overcome Katowice in the third qualifying round. The Italian side, recent winners of the 2023/2024 UEFA Europa League, represent a formidable challenge for the Israeli club. Atalanta also boasts a historic Italian Cup win from the 1962/1963 season and eliminated Hapoel Haifa from the Europa League qualifiers eight years ago with a 6-1 aggregate score.
In the 2022/2023 Serie A season, Atalanta finished seventh with 59 points, 28 points behind champions Inter Milan. The club advanced to the Round of 16 in the Champions League, overcoming Borussia Dortmund with a remarkable 4-1 home victory after a 2-0 first-leg loss, before being heavily defeated by Bayern Munich 10-2 on aggregate. Key players include World Cup standout Charles De Ketelaere, Italian striker Gianluca Scamacca, midfielder Marten de Roon, and defender Giorgio Scalvini. Maurizio Sarri was recently appointed as head coach.
Atalanta's squad is valued at approximately 447 million euros, starkly contrasting with Hapoel Tel Aviv's estimated 13 million euros. So far, Atalanta has only signed defensive midfielder Gianluca Gaetano from Cagliari for 12 million euros. The highest-valued player is forward Ederson at 45 million euros, followed by defender Giorgio Scalvini at 38 million euros. The matchup underscores a significant gap in resources and experience between the two clubs.
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