De Ketelaere: No Milan Regrets, But Atalanta's Where the Magic Happens

Imagine swapping the bright lights of Milan for the gritty charm of Bergamo – sounds like a demotion, right? Wrong. Charles De Ketelaere is loving life at Atalanta, insisting he doesn't regret his ill-fated €37.5m switch from Club Brugge to the Rossoneri back in 2022. As reported by Susy Campanale at Football Italia, the Belgian playmaker feels he's finally hitting his stride.

Sure, that first season at Milan was a proper nightmare – more bench time than headlines. But CDL's not dwelling. "I could've trusted myself more back then," he admits, but now? He's a key cog in Atalanta's machine, thriving under new gaffer Raffaele Palladino after stints with Gian Piero Gasperini and Ivan Juric.

False 9 Flair and Red Devils Redemption

De Ketelaere's been moonlighting as a False 9 this term, and blimey, it suits him. At club level, he's popping up in the mixer, and with Belgium, he's stepped up while Romelu Lukaku nursed those pesky injuries. "Romelu's the main man – respect to the big lad," CDL says, tipping his cap to the Napoli striker's goal haul.

But opportunity knocked, and he answered. Bagged a brace against Liechtenstein in friendlies, proving he's no mug up top. "We’ve got loads of attackers who love playing football – it works for me," he grins. With five goals and five assists already for Atalanta, the numbers are tidy, but he reckons he's even better than last season's tally suggests. Feels more vital to the squad, like the glue holding it together.

Injury Setback? What Setback?

Talk about bouncing back. A meniscus knock sidelined him for over a month, but the lad recovered ahead of schedule and answered Belgium's call-up. No sulking here – straight into the fray.

Atalanta's tactical tweak under Palladino helps too. Gasperini had a habit of hauling strikers after 60 minutes, but now CDL's getting full 90s. "The 3-4-3 or 3-5-2 brings out my best," he beams. Happy as Larry in Bergamo, with time left on his deal. "Cherish what you've got," is his pub-philosophy wisdom.

Bayern Blues and Champions League Dreams

Atalanta were the lone Italian survivors into the Champions League Round of 16 last term – no mean feat. But Bayern Munich? Oof. A 10-2 aggregate tonking that left CDL shell-shocked. "They made us look amateur," he confesses. Faced Real Madrid before and fancied it, but Bayern's total football was next level. Press them? They love it. No wonder he's backing them for the title.

Still, Atalanta's European jaunts – think scraps with Slavia Praha – keep the buzz alive. De Ketelaere's not just surviving; he's flourishing. From Milan flop to Bergamo hero, it's a tale of redemption with a side of cheeky self-belief. Who's buying the next round?

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