Atalanta coach Palladino rallies around Pasalic: ‘We’re close to him in a delicate moment’

Atalanta head coach Raffaele Palladino confirmed that Mario Pasalic will miss Sunday’s Serie A clash against Genoa following the death of his father, describing the midfielder’s situation as deeply emotional for the entire squad.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of the 16th round of the Serie A season, Palladino revealed that Atalanta have rallied around Pasalic during a difficult week. “It was very touching,” the coach explained, with quotes via TMW.

“Yesterday, at the end of training, together with the team and the directors, we showed our closeness to Mario, who is in Croatia. He’s going through a delicate moment and, as Atalanta, we’re close to him.”

BERGAMO, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 30: Mario Pasalic celebrates scoring the winning goal during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD2 match at Stadio di Bergamo on September 30, 2025 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Timothy Rogers/Getty Images)

Pasalic will remain with his family and will not be involved against Genoa, with Palladino making it clear the club’s priority is the player’s wellbeing. “Mario won’t be there tomorrow so he can stay by his family’s side. We’re waiting for him,” he added.

Atalanta coach Palladino welcomes back Sulemana

Despite the absence of one of their most experienced midfielders, Atalanta are set to regain an attacking option, with Kamaldeen Sulemana returning after several weeks out. Palladino welcomed the winger’s comeback, underlining his tactical importance.

“I’ve used Sulemana many times in attack before his injury,” he said. “He’s only just returned to the squad, but he has pace and dribbling, he’s very important for Atalanta.”

BERGAMO, ITALY – NOVEMBER 30: Raffaele Palladino embraces with Kamaldeen Sulemana following the team’s victory during the Serie A match at Gewiss Stadium on November 30, 2025 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

The coach also highlighted the depth at his disposal, praising players such as Daniel Maldini and Nicola Zalewski as key pieces in his attacking rotations as Atalanta look to maintain momentum in the league.