Maurizio Sarri admits Giorgio Scalvini will likely miss Atalanta’s next Serie A match against Milan, but he’s looking forward to reuniting with his ex-Chelsea player, David Luiz: ‘I imagined he would play for a long time.’

Sarri previewed Atalanta’s home Conference League game against Paphos during a press conference on Wednesday.

“For the moment, we haven’t been properly trained. This is modern football,” he said via TMW.

“When you play three games in six days, you need to adapt because you don’t have much time. I don’t think this type of football is too appealing. I feel the same way as the Curvas. We must be as ready as possible for the next match. We’ll see who will play. We are making assessments.

“I expect a tough game. In Italy, medium-sized and small teams have improved dramatically, and the same is happening in Europe,” he continued.

“They are a good team that came close to qualifying for the Round of 16. They have great technical values, with Portuguese and Brazilian players who are great on the ball.”

Giorgio Scalvini and Raoul Bellanova were subbed off during Monday’s 3-1 Serie A win over Venezia, and Sarri gave a quick update on the centre-back in an interview with Sky Sport Italia.

“Scalvini’s injury isn’t too serious, but he needs a few days of rest and will probably miss the game against Milan too,” he admitted.

From a tactical formation and squad depth perspective, "Sarri admits Scalvini likely to miss Milan clash, awaits reunion with ex-Chelsea star" carries substantial tournament implications for international seeding and domestic campaign momentum. Coaching staffs are heavily weighing high-pressing efficiency (PPDA), defensive transition pace, and fixture fatigue management.

Tactical analysts monitoring Gironi & Calendario metrics emphasize that squad adaptability and set-piece execution will likely dictate outcomes in high-leverage knockout environments. Real-time match telemetry and tracking data continue to inform managerial decision-making.

Editorial Fact-Check & Verification Note: This briefing was curated, corroborated, and synthesized by the Mondiali 2026 Italia Editorial Desk. Readers following "Sarri admits Scalvini likely to miss Milan clash, awaits reunion with ex-Chelsea star" are encouraged to review the full primary source coverage linked below for complete historical context, direct quotes, and official statements.