Palladino: Champions League victory over Dortmund will go down in Atalanta history

Raffaele Palladino labelled Atalanta’s Champions League victory over Borussia Dortmund as one of the club’s greatest achievements.

Atalanta beat the German giants, who were Champions League runners-up in 2024, 4-1 on Wednesday, sealing a 4-3 aggregate victory.

The Serie A side required a comeback of epic proportions after their 2-0 defeat in the first leg.

Atalanta became the first side to overturn a two-goal first-leg deficit in a Champions League knockout tie since Liverpool progressed past Barcelona in the 2018-19 semi-final.

Palladino told Sky Sport Italia: “This is a match that will go down in history, not just here in Bergamo for all the Atalanta fans, but for Italian football as a whole.

3 – #Atalanta are only the third Italian team to progress after losing the first leg with 2+ goals margin in the Champions League knockout stage, after Juventus v Atlético Madrid in 2018/19 and Roma v Barcelona in 2017/18. Magnificent.#UCL #AtalantaBVB pic.twitter.com/OtjNcltYqY

— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) February 25, 2026

“We achieved a comeback that will stay in the history books. We’re so happy, I want to thank every single player, those who were on the field, on the bench, in the stands, my staff, the President Antonio Percassi, the directors, and all the fans.

“It was probably the best game I ever experienced in my coaching career, and it will remain in my mind forever. This club deserves this incredible satisfaction.

“I could see that positive energy in the eyes of my players, and the spirit was fantastic.”

Dortmund are just the second German side to be eliminated from a two-legged Champions League knockout tie when winning the first leg by 2+ goals, after Wolfsburg vs Real Madrid in the 2015-16 quarter-finals.