Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini was proud of his players after their 1-0 defeat of Ajax.

The result sees La Dea reach the Champions League round of 16.

Gasperini said, "We were very good, we have dismantled the potential of Ajax, who have always had an offensive vocation.

"We were very good defensively, and we deserved to score in the final minutes.

“It's an extraordinary achievement, even better than last year because we had two sacred monsters like Liverpool and Ajax in the same group and we won all the away games."

Gasperini insists he and Papu Gomez are on the same page after reports of a bust-up.

“Beyond all that is written and said, I look at the pitch. I must feel free to make my choices during the games. This is a principle that cannot be ignored. Then the value of Papu was seen tonight.

“We have to go ahead and I must do the best choices for the team, the target is always to reach a good results.

“We can't follow all the rumours, there will always be an absolute harmony with the club, there is a relationship for which nothing traumatic will ever happen."