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• Gian Piero Gasperini talks up Atalanta’s ‘extraordinary’ season

  Atalanta head coach Gian Piero Gasperini acknowledges that his club are enjoying a “fantastic” season after reaching two semi-finals and challenging for Champions League qualification from Serie A.

  But the campaign’s business end has now arrived, with Atalanta putting their Coppa Italia hopes on the line in Wednesday’s semi-final second leg against Fiorentina.

  They have a Europa League semi-final against Marseille ahead of them next month, but their first task is to try and overturn a 1-0 deficit when Fiorentina arrive in Bergamo.

  “This year is extraordinary,” Gasperini told Gazzetta dello Sport.

  “Now let’s see in the next matches between the Italian Cup and the recoveries. The season is fantastic, now we are in the final verdicts.”

  Asked if the season would only be a good one if Atalanta win a trophy, he added: “Winners only if you win a trophy? No, it’s idiocy.

  “We each have to reach our own goals, otherwise we would all be losers in life and that’s not how it works. I consider myself lucky for what I’ve done in the various places I’ve been in.”

  Atalanta’s solitary Coppa Italia success in the final came 61 years ago with a 3-1 victory over Torino, and they have lost on four successive return visits.

  Fiorentina, meanwhile, last lifted the trophy in 2001, and they head to Bergamo on the back of a 2-0 Serie A win against Salernitana.

  Andrea Belotti, Nico Gonzalez, Luca Beltran and Giacomo Bonaventura all missed that game with knocks, but should return in an anticipated much-changed team.

  Gasperini also rotated his squad for the league clash against Monza, but he is likely to field a more familiar starting XI, with Gianluca Scamacca and Marten de Roon among those recalled.

  Fiorentina boss Vincenzo Italiano said: “We have the merit of arriving in May and still being in certain matches, which cannot allow us to switch off.

  “We must all be ready and motivated to give 100 per cent, because in these close matches it doesn’t take much to not being able to perform at our best. But we all have guys who always respond when called upon.”

• Anybody's game: Gilbert, Williams cautiously optimistic about final outcome as Arnett, Portmore square after first leg

  Fairly satisfied with parts of their teams’ performances in an entertaining 1-1 first-leg quarterfinal stalemate, Arnett Gardens Head coach Xavier Gilbert and his Portmore United counterpart Phillip Williams are now hoping to build on the positives as they look ahead to the decisive Wray and Nephew Jamaica Premier League encounter.

  A 41st-minute Philando Wing own-goal which got Portmore United on the scoresheet, and Fabian Reid's 82nd-minute strike, left nothing to choose between the two teams at the end of the opening contest, which was a tale of two halves at Sabina Park on Monday.

  With the stage set for what should be an intriguing second-leg engagement at the same venue next Monday, Williams and his Portmore United outfit will be aiming to consolidate their first half showing, as well as to improve their second half approach, while Gilbert and his team are hoping to be more clinical in the final third, particularly in the latter stages of the contest.

  The winner of the second leg will secure a semi-final date with Cavalier.

  Williams believes the first-leg result was a reflection on the quality of both teams.

  "I think Arnett played a great second half because we gave them too much space and they took advantage of it. But we did what we wanted to do in the first half, and it is just a matter of going back to the training pitch to build on our first half performance and try to sort out the second half," Williams said.

  "The legs went in the second half, and we just have to look at that. It's the playoffs and so we know there is not much room for error, so we just have to go back and improve on the things we did well as well as to strengthen those areas where we fell short," he added.

  Portmore United, led by the menacing Alex Marshall, were more spirited at the start, as they quickly signalled their intentions courtesy of a high press approach and a series of quick build ups.

  

  Marshall, who was the focal point player of the attack, fired a seventh-minute warning shot from a distance that had Eric Edwards beaten, but the came back off the crossbar. With that scare, Arnett tightened their defensive approach and attempted to close down Marshall, but still the fleet-footed player found ways to get into the final third to pull the trigger, albeit, to no avail at that point.

  Arnett eventually settled into their game and should have gone ahead against the run of play in the 21st minute. However, young sensation Keheim Dixon went for power instead of accuracy from close range, and the stinging effort was equally well saved by Tyrone Williams in goal for Portmore United.

  Portmore replied 10 minutes later, but were also left ruing their luck, as Stephen Barnett's shot came back off the upright.

  They St Catherine-based team inevitably broke the deadlock when Marshall, with a delightful first touch, made space for a cross which Jahien Rose hit onto the upright, but the rebound came off Wing and left Edwards beaten.

  With the score unchanged at the break, Arnett Gardens fought back on the resumption, as they not only enjoyed the better of play, but also applied consistent pressure to which Portmore United had no response.

  

  The 'Junglists' should have equalised in the 75th when a weighted cross from substitute Shai Smith found an unmarked Reid at the far post, but the usually clinical striker fired wide from close range.

  However, Reid's despair turned to celebrate seven minutes later, as he got on the end of a pass from Wing and made no mistakes on that occasion for his 11th of the season and 85th of an illustrious Jamaica Premier League career.

  With the momentum well in their favour, Arnett went for the win, but failed to make their opportunities count. Their final charge in the attacking third was a distant effort from substitute Jamone Shepherd, which was parried by Williams in time added.

  Gilbert took heart from the second half performance which he attributes to tactical adjustments.

  "We made some tactical adjustments and it paid dividends for us, unfortunately we only managed to put it one, but we created some opportunities in the second half and should have been a little bit more clinical in front of goal. But that's the nature of the game, I am happy that we are not going into the second leg behind," Gilbert said in a post-game interview. 

  "We have to work a little bit harder and try to keep a clean sheet and hopefully we can score more goals. That is the hope for the second game, we know it's going to be tough again next week both teams are really good so we will see how it goes," he note

• Jurgen Klopp insists winning is all that matters ahead of final Merseyside derby

  Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp accepts results are all that matter at this stage of the season as he looks to end his final Merseyside derby with a rare victory at Goodison Park.

  Klopp has lost just one of 18 matches against the Toffees – the behind-closed-doors game at Anfield in February 2021 – but across Stanley Park his record is just two wins and five draws.

  He was surprised by some of the reaction to Sunday’s 3-1 win at Fulham, which attracted criticism for not being the most fluent, but insists winning was the main objective, with no margin for error in a title race in which they are currently third favourites.

  “I know this is the last part of the season: it is not about playing the freshest football of the whole year – that would be strange if that works out with the schedule all the teams have,” said Klopp, who will be without Diogo Jota for at least a fortnight after the forward injured himself scoring at Craven Cottage.

  “But you have to win games and I think we know how to do that and we have to make sure everybody understands the way we want to try (on Wednesday).

  “I wouldn’t say it was straightforward but until two weeks ago everything was probably better than anyone would have expected.

  “Then you have this week (losing to Atalanta and Crystal Palace) when the performances were not as bad as the results felt afterwards.

  “And then it is like, ‘Why don’t you score enough? If you look at our numbers, yes, there are two teams who have scored more than us (Arsenal and Manchester City) but it is not like there are two teams who scored 50 goals more than us.

  “It is always about how you can get the right feeling again for the situation and the next game and we usually do that. I am really happy now with the response.”

  Liverpool’s disappointing run of games at Goodison stretches beyond Klopp’s arrival in 2015, with nine of the last 11 encounters ending in draws.

  Klopp’s five draws are more than at any other away ground, but that has to change on Wednesday night if they are to maintain the pressure on Arsenal and Manchester City.

  “I don’t know exactly when my first derby was, 2016, but when I (first) came here it would not be honest if I said that is my game of the year. It wasn’t, I knew how important it was for the people, but didn’t feel it then.

  “Now I know it and feel it. My understanding developed over the years. They are always difficult games, especially there, but it is not too important, what we had in the past.”

  Losing Jota will not help in unlocking what is likely to be a determined Everton defence, especially as Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz have all looked below their best in recent weeks.

  “Unfortunately Diogo scored the goal, felt a little bit and now we found out it’s a little bit more so he will be out for two weeks,” said Klopp, who revealed Jota had complained of a hip problem in the last couple of weeks.

  “It’s a small one but we are late in the season, so obviously now it’s not a great moment for each injury pretty much.

  “When I say two weeks, actually really it’s pretty much nothing but enough to not be available.”