As Atalanta prepare for a vital clash with Ajax, tension between manager Gian Piero Gasperini and star forward Alejandro Gomez is threatening the club's Champions League campaign.
Gasperini has overseen Atalanta since 2016, having reinvented the club in recent years to guide them towards the top of Serie A with stars like Gomez and Josep Ilicic.
Gomez, meanwhile, has emerged as one of Serie A's top players under Gasperini, having led the league in assists twice in recent years.
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However, the relationship between the two has become untenable in recent weeks stemming from an incident during the club's 1-1 draw with Atalanta.