Gasperini has second wind

– Inter Milan face a crunch match in the race for European places tomorrow when they take on an Atalanta team led by a coach they infamously sacked after only five games.

Gian Piero Gasperini (above) has resurrected his career since his humiliating experience just over five years ago and turned modest Atalanta, a team usually found in the middle to lower half of the table, into unlikely contenders for a Europa League place.

Only the fourth and fifthplaced teams in Serie A are guaranteed a place in the following season’s Europa League while a top three finish is needed for the Champions League.

Atalanta, who have only played in Europe four times before, are fifth with 52 points, with Inter one point and one place below them.

Gasperini was hired by Inter before the start of the 2011/12 but sacked after losing four out of his first five matches. It was the only time the 59-year-old has coached at any of the major Italian clubs.

“A while back I had an important chance with Inter but it didn’t end well,” he told Sky Sport Italia. “I have no resentment regarding my short time.”

Since then, he has had two stints with Palermo – the second lasting just two matches – and three seasons with Genoa before moving to Atalanta, based in the historic northern city of Bergamo, for this season.

As at Inter, Gasperini made a slow start at Atalanta, also losing four of his first give games.

But unlike Inter, the club kept faith in him and the coach responded by boldly offering a chance to some untried players from the youth team.

The move paid off handsomely as Atalanta won eight out of nine league games. –