The Argentine left Serie A for Sevilla last January but has only now revealed his motivation
Alejandro 'Papu' Gomez has claimed he left Atalanta in January because head coach Gian Piero Gasperini tried to "physically attack" him in the dressing room at half-time of a Champions League match against Midtjylland.
The allegation, which had not been made previously, helps explain why the Argentine forward abruptly exited an organisation he captained and had come to openly love.
Gomez said he asked club president Antonio Percassi for a transfer when Gasperini refused to apologise to him, but he claimed Percassi would not allow him to join any other Serie A clubs despite his desire to remain in Italy.