Bern debacle YB are outplayed by Atalanta and remain without points in the Champions League

Tobias Benz

26.11.2024

Fifth game, fifth defeat: YB continue to go nowhere in the Champions League. In the home game against Atalanta Bergamo, the team from Bern even went down 1:6.

In the 11th minute, Young Boys did what no team had managed to do internationally against Atalanta for a long time: they scored a goal. After a corner kick, Silvère Ganvoula got his head to the ball, which sailed into the net in a high arc. In the previous four rounds, Stuttgart, Celtic Glasgow, Shakhtar Donetsk and Arsenal had failed to do so. Leverkusen had also failed to score in the Europa League final in May.

The problem with this pleasing result from Bern's point of view was that Atalanta had already scored two minutes earlier. And even more bitterly, it was to remain the only highlight for the home team. Instead, YB felt the full force of Bergamo's attacking power and trailed 1:4 at the break.

De Ketelaere again and again

Mateo Retegui, whose twelve goals in Serie A made him a player to watch, scored twice. But his strike partner Charles De Ketelaere will also be a bad memory for the overstretched YB defense. The 23-year-old Belgian was involved in five goals, scored two himself and set up three others.

He twice took the center-back duo of Mohamed Ali Camara and Sandro Lauper by surprise with his high passes. His cross for the fourth goal was not particularly precise, but as Lauper was unable to press Retegui in the middle, the move still resulted in another goal for the visitors.

It was indicative of the whole evening, in which Atalanta, with Europa League hero Ademola Lookman only on the bench, clearly showed the Bernese their limits. They had expected more after the change of coach from Patrick Rahmen to Joël Magnin and their recent better performances. Especially as another top Italian team, Inter Milan, had had much more trouble in the Wankdorf a month earlier and only scored the 1-0 winner shortly before the final whistle.

Another home game

Atalanta Bergamo also had more to contend with on their first visit to Bern three years ago, also in the Champions League. In a spectacular match, the northern Italians drew 3-3 with a late goal and took home a point.

This time they dominated and never let the question arise as to whether YB would find their way back into the game. Instead, the game ended in a debacle for the Bernese. The 1:6 against Atalanta was the next bitter pill to swallow in the top flight after the 0:3 against Aston Villa and the 0:5 against Barcelona. YB conceded 17 goals in a total of five games, i.e. more than three per game.

In the league phase of the Champions League, YB only play once more in front of their own fans. At the end of the campaign, the Bernese will host Red Star Belgrade on January 29. In between, they play away in Stuttgart (December 11), where they will be reunited with Fabian Rieder, and in Glasgow (January 22) against Celtic.

Comments on the game

Young Boys - Atalanta Bergamo 1:6 (1:4)

31'500 spectators. - SR Lukjancukas. - Goals: 9. Retegui 0:1. 11. Ganvoula 1:1. 28. De Ketelaere 1:2. 31. Kolasinac 1:3. 39. Retegui 1:4. 56. De Ketelaere 1:5. 90. Samardzic 1:6.

Young Boys: von Ballmoos; Blum, Camara, Lauper, Hadjam (78. Athekame); Ugrinic, Niasse, Lakomy (46. Males); Colley (46. Virginius), Ganvoula (60. Itten), Monteiro (67. Elia).

Atalanta Bergamo: Carnesecchi; Kossounou, Hien (80. Godfrey), Kolasinac (75. Tolói); Cuadrado, de Roon, Mario Pasalic, Ruggeri; De Ketelaere (75. Palestra), Brescianini (63. Samardzic); Retegui (63. Zaniolo).

Remarks: Cautions: 44 Colley, 45 Brescianini, 73 Elia.

The video ticker

BSC Young Boys

Completed

1:6

(1:4)

Atalanta

Silvère Ganvoula - 1:1 (11.)

(9.) 0:1 - Mateo Retegui
(28.) 1:2 - Charles De Ketelaere
(32.) 1:3 - Sead Kolašinac
(39.) 1:4 - Mateo Retegui
(56.) 1:5 - Charles De Ketelaere
(90.) 1:6 - Lazar Samardzic

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Lineups
Substitutions
Statistics

Liveticker

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Liveticker closed

90.

Samardzic with the sixth goal for Atalanta

56.

De Ketelaere with his second goal - Atalanta go one better

39.

Retegui beats Lauper to make it 4:1

32.

It strikes again - Kolašinac increases for the visitors

28.

Von Ballmoos slips the ball under his arm - Atalanta go ahead again

11.

Ganvoula scores a powerful equalizer - YB hit back immediately

Cold start for YB - Retegui puts Atalanta ahead

The line-up is here: This is how YB play

"Bergamo is not a typical Italian team"

Beat Signer will commentate on today's match between YB and Atalanta Bergamo for blue Sport. He expects an offensive-minded Europa League champion.

Silvan Hefti: "YB can be extremely dangerous for good opponents"

Three years ago, the two teams also faced each other in the top flight. YB lost 1-0 away from home, but picked up a point in a spectacular 3-3 draw at home.

One player who also remembers the 3:3 in Bern is Silvan Hefti. The defender scored a dream goal for YB to make it 3-2 at the interval: "In such an important game and then with a left-footed finish, that was certainly the highlight. We played a great match, but unfortunately we couldn't reward ourselves with a win," Hefti told blue Sport in an interview.

Click here for the full article.

Champions League matchday for the Young Boys

✨ #UCL-𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐃𝐀𝐘 🆚 @Atalanta_BC

👉 Matchcenter: https://t.co/dCiYJUGR0q
🎟️ Letzte Tickets: https://t.co/HVh0mcP8YW #bscyb #ybforever #ybata pic.twitter.com/bDpA6igwts
— BSC YOUNG BOYS (@BSC_YB) November 26, 2024

Atalanta warm up in Bern

The Bergamasques warm up on Wednesday morning. The temperatures in Bergamo are currently similar to those in Bern. However, seeing the snow piled up right next to the training ground is unlikely to be a familiar sight for the Atalanta players.

Buongiorno ragazzi 🫡#YoungBoysAtalanta #UCL #GoAtalantaGo ⚫️🔵 pic.twitter.com/0dN9oE3tdI
— Atalanta B.C. (@Atalanta_BC) November 26, 2024

Meanwhile, the Italians' media team are on a tour of discovery in Bern.

BERN 📍🇨🇭#YoungBoysAtalanta #UCL #GoAtalantaGo ⚫️🔵 pic.twitter.com/trJ7LDMh9A
— Atalanta B.C. (@Atalanta_BC) November 26, 2024

90.+3.

End of 2nd half

90.

Goal for Atalanta, 1:6 through Lazar Samardzic (Odilon Kossounou)

Lazar Samardzic

Midfielder

Assist: Odilon Kossounou

Defender

80.

Substitution in Atalanta

Ben Godfrey

Defender

80.

Substitution out Atalanta

Isak Hien

Defender

78.

Substitution in BSC Young Boys

Zachary Athekame

Defender

78.

Substitution out BSC Young Boys

Jaouen Hadjam

Defender

75.

Substitution in Atalanta

Rafael Tolói

Defender

75.

Substitution out Atalanta

Sead Kolašinac

Defender

75.

Substitution in Atalanta

Marco Palestra

Defender

75.

Substitution out Atalanta

Charles De Ketelaere

Striker

74.

Yellow card BSC Young Boys

Meschack Elia

66.

Substitution in BSC Young Boys

Meschack Elia

Striker

66.

Substitution out BSC Young Boys