Sarri Hails Kessie’s Personality as Atalanta Midfielder Declares Himself ‘Always Ready’ for San Siro Return

FolioPitch.com – 13 October 2026 | Maurizio Sarri has lavished praise on Franck Kessie after the Ivorian midfielder marked his return to Atalanta with a goal in their 3-1 victory over Venezia, a result that ended a three-match losing streak. In his post-match press conference at the New Balance Arena, Sarri hailed Kessie’s personality as the Atalanta midfielder declares himself ‘always ready’ for a San Siro return, highlighting the veteran’s influence both on and off the pitch. Kessie, who rejoined Atalanta this summer after five seasons with AC Milan, opened the scoring with a composed lob over Venezia goalkeeper Filip Stankovic, his first Serie A goal since coming back to Bergamo.

Sarri was quick to emphasise the importance of Kessie’s character, stating, “He’s a lad with great personality, and you could see that on the pitch. Lads like that are rare, and that’s an important detail in the dressing room.” The coach’s comments came after a dominant first-half display in which Atalanta raced to a 3-0 lead inside 30 minutes, with Kessie and a Nikola Krstovic double putting the game beyond doubt. However, Sarri was less impressed with his side’s second-half performance, lamenting their drop in intensity and sloppiness in possession.

Kessie, speaking to DAZN, played down his individual contribution, insisting that the team’s success was paramount. “We’re happy with the win, as we were coming off three defeats. It was important and we did it. It’s not easy with the new formation, but we have to listen to the coach and give everything. It’s always nice to score, but for me the team matters. I’m happy to help, just as I’m happy for Krstovic, who can gain confidence. Returning to San Siro? Always ready.” His final remark will inevitably fuel speculation about a potential return to the stadium he called home during his Milan days, though for now, his focus remains on helping Atalanta climb the Serie A table.

Sarri also addressed the second-half dip, noting that his team stopped pressing Venezia in their own half and paid the price at certain moments. “We were sloppy playing out from the back and left them the upper hand, and in the final minutes we weren’t very clean either. I didn’t think it was that bad, though. In fact, when the sending-off happened, the team came alive. We need to be braver.” The sending-off he referred to was that of Eljif Elmas, who was shown a straight red card late on after VAR upgraded his initial yellow, ruling him out of Sunday’s trip to Milan. Sarri was critical of the challenge: “That’s how it went. He could have avoided going in like that at the end with that reckless challenge.”

Injuries also marred the victory, with Raoul Bellanova and Giorgio Scalvini both forced off midway through the second half. “Bellanova has pain in his glute. Scalvini needs to be assessed,” Sarri confirmed, leaving Atalanta sweating over their availability for the upcoming fixtures. The coach also explained his tactical decisions, having started with a 4-2-3-1 formation and chosen Krstovic ahead of Gianluca Scamacca. “It’s an alternative for us, but then we went back to the 4-3-3. I wanted more depth up front, and obviously I chose Elmas to give more balance.” He was less effusive about Jonathan Rowe, who impressed for 60 minutes before fading: “In my opinion, he has a lot of room for improvement.”

Looking ahead, Atalanta face Pafos in the Conference League on Thursday, and Sarri wants his side to replicate the first-half approach that dismantled Venezia. “We have to try to be in control of the game for long spells. The attitude in the first half was right. As for substitutions, if we’d made it 4-1 I’d have made several changes.” The coach’s desire for control and bravery will be tested against the Cypriot side, as Atalanta aim to build momentum after a turbulent start to the season.

In conclusion, Sarri hails Kessie’s personality as the Atalanta midfielder declares himself ‘always ready’ for San Siro return, a statement that underscores the 27-year-old’s enduring ambition and professionalism. While Kessie’s immediate focus is on helping Atalanta recover from their early-season struggles, his readiness for a San Siro return—whether with Atalanta or another suitor—adds an intriguing subplot to the coming months. For Sarri, the challenge is clear: harness Kessie’s personality and leadership to steer Atalanta back to winning ways, starting with Thursday’s Conference League clash. If the first-half performance against Venezia is any indication, the potential is there; the task now is to sustain it for 90 minutes.