Ketelaere under fire from Capello while Sarri keeps believing

Charles De Ketelaere (25) is having a difficult season at Atalanta, which after a disappointing start is only in eleventh place in Serie A, while his first competitive goal dates back to 11 January; coach Maurizio Sarri still believes in him, but former top‑coach Fabio Capello points to a growing lack of danger.

Sarri still believes in him

“We expect a lot from him. He has enormous potential and we continue to believe in him. But he must start delivering,” said Maurizio Sarri. The coach emphasizes that De Ketelaere, despite the current problems, can still play a key role in Atalanta’s attacking play.

Capello points to lack of danger

Fabio Capello, former top‑coach and now analyst, argues that “the problem is not his lack of goals, but that he lacks assists and dangerous passes”. He adds that De Ketelaere “no longer puts opponents in trouble” and that “previously two or three chances per game were created, but that no longer happens”.

Statistics confirm the dip

The figures show that De Ketelaere has not scored a goal this season since 11 January, while he has provided three assists. Last season he scored five goals and delivered seven assists, and was important for Atalanta’s attacking play. The team is now only eleventh in Serie A, a clear contrast with the previous campaign.

Frosinone match shows a glimpse

In the recent match against Frosinone De Ketelaere showed himself again: he won a penalty and gave an assist, thus having an important share in the attacking output. Nevertheless the match ended in a spectacular 4‑4, after De Ketelaere was substituted about fifteen minutes before the end.

Sarri admits mistake

After the match Maurizio Sarri said: “I expected more from the substitutes, Gianluca Scamacca and Lazar Samardzic. We took De Ketelaere off to build defensive certainty, but in hindsight that was not the right choice.” The coach thus admitted that the substitution may have influenced the outcome.

Criticism and support from Belgium

The Red Devil, the nickname for the Belgian national team, follows the developments of their compatriot closely. Niel Van Essche Sport reported that Capello put his finger on the wound, while the Belgian public – “Het” – expresses both support and criticism. Fabio Capello and the Belgian media continue to analyse the situation.

What the contrast reveals

The contrast between Sarri’s confidence and Capello’s criticism underscores the uncertainty surrounding De Ketelaere’s role at Atalanta. While the coach continues to hope for a breakthrough, Capello’s analysis points to a structural problem that still needs to be solved.