Atalanta is self-serving his historic lead in Serie A when he hosts penultimate position cremonese on Sunday in the sixth stage.
Atalanta found himself alone in the lead in the fifth stage with a 2-0 win over Montsa and the loss of former partner Roma to Odenezi 0-4, raising his tally to 13 points from four wins and one draw by two points against direct racers Napoli and defending champions Milan.
It is the first time Atalanta has topped the league standings solo since 1964, and coach Jean-Pierro Gasperini commented: “Never in Atalanta’s long history to be alone in the lead, it’s a beautiful thing for players and fans.”
“The fans can enjoy that but we know we still have work to do.”
Atalanta appears to be an extraordinary candidate to consolidate his lead given the modest level of his newlycoming guest Cremonese in the Spotlight League who won just one point in his first five games.
Unlike other league rivals, Atalanta has no European commitments after finishing last season in a disappointing eighth place, giving him a huge advantage ahead of the World Cup in Qatar, with intense domestic and continental commitments on a very tight schedule ahead of the World Cup on November 20.
Atalanta will likely find himself third before his game against Cremonese because rivals Napoli and Milan open the stage on Saturday with two relatively easy games, one against guest Spezia 14 and the second against his 18th host Sampdoria.
Napoli are entering the face of Spezia in high spirits after beating their guest Liverpool 4-1 in the first round of the Champions League group stage.
Luchano Spalletti has re-emerged as a title contender after a turbulent that made him look like a club in deep crisis, with the stars (Lorentso Insenelli, Belgian Drissense and Spaniard Fabian Ruiz and Senegalese Khalido Coulibaly), and fans begging owner Aurelio de Laurentis
But the new arrivals, especially Georgian Khafisha Kafratsilia and South Korean Kim Min-jai, had a great influence on the club's great performances in the new season and gave hope to fans that the club could win the third title in its history and the first since the days of Argentine legend Diego Armando Maradona (1986-1987 and 1989-1990).
- Milan to continue -
Milan issued a stern warning to rivals about his willingness to defend his title when he decided the "Trail of Fury" against rival and neighbor Inter 3-2 last weekend.
Milan hope to exploit the shaky morale of Sampdoria players, who have yet to scored a win and scored only two goals.
Saturday also play Inter VIII and last season's champion runner-up with his sixth guest Turin.
Inter is four points behind Atalanta as he seeks to erase their losses to neighbor Milan and German guest Bayern Munich Zero-2 at the start of his group stage career for the prestigious continental competition.
Juventus, one of four teams yet to lose in the league alongside Atalanta, Naples and Milan, are playing a relatively easy game against their guest Salernitana on Sunday.