Papu Gomez became a club legend at Atalanta B.C. last season after his goals fired the club to a fourth-place finish in Serie A (their highest-ever league finish) and qualification for the Europa League. Hopefully you’re familiar with the forward’s goalscoring celebration, a dance which was turned into a viral sensation.
While his numbers have dipped somewhat this season, his goals have kept Atalanta in the top half of the table while also helping secure qualification to the Europa League Round of 32. On Tuesday, he scored one of his best, most vital goals for the club in the Copa Italia quarterfinals.
With Atalanta playing the role of underdogs at the Stadio San Paolo in Naples, Timothy Castagne gave Atalanta the lead before Papu doubled their advantage with this sensational solo goal in the 81st minute.
Dries Mertens pulled one back for Napoli only three minutes later, but Atalanta held on for the victory with Papu’s goal proving the match-winner. The club last won the Coppa Italia in 1963 before finishing runners-up in both 1987 and 1996.
They now await the winner of tomorrow’s match between Juventus and Torino. The other semifinal will be Milan versus Lazio with the two-legged ties determining who contests the final on May 9 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.