Atalanta Ends Raffaele Palladino's Tenure as Head Coach Amid Plans for New Direction

Atalanta has announced the termination of Raffaele Palladino's contract as head coach of the first team. Palladino, who assumed the role in November 2025, will leave the club along with his coaching staff, marking the end of his tenure in Bergamo.

Palladino took over during a challenging period for Atalanta, following a disappointing start to the season under Croatian coach Ivan Juric. Juric himself had replaced Gian Piero Gasperini, who departed for Roma at the conclusion of the previous campaign. Palladino's appointment came as the club sought stability and a return to competitive form.

During his time in charge, Palladino managed to steady the team’s performances, guiding Atalanta to a seventh-place finish in Serie A. This position secured the club’s qualification for the next edition of the UEFA Conference League, ensuring continued participation in European competition. Additionally, Atalanta reached the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia, where they were eliminated by Lazio.

In European competition, Atalanta progressed to the round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League but were decisively defeated by Bayern Munich with aggregate scores of 6-1 and 4-1, resulting in a 10-2 exit. Despite these heavy losses, the team demonstrated resilience in domestic competitions under Palladino’s leadership.

The club’s official statement confirmed that Palladino’s departure also includes his key assistants Stefano Citterio, Federico Peluso, Fabio Corabi, Nicola Riva, Mattia Casella, Andrea Ramponi, and Andrea Berti. This collective change signals Atalanta’s intent to embark on a new strategic direction.

Italian media have identified Maurizio Sarri as a leading candidate to succeed Palladino, although no official confirmation has been made by the club. The decision to change management reflects Atalanta’s ambition to refresh their approach and build on recent achievements.

Looking ahead, Atalanta will prepare for the upcoming Serie A season and their campaign in the UEFA Conference League under new leadership. The club’s next steps in the transfer market and coaching appointments will be closely watched as they aim to improve their standing both domestically and in Europe.