Former Atalanta player Joakim Maehle hits out at head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, saying there was ‘no freedom’ at the Serie A side – and reveals he was banned from DRIVING with £72m Man United starlet Rasmus Hojlund

• The defender booked a move from Bergamo to Bundesliga outfit Wolfsburg 
• Hojlund also moved on, becoming the window’s most expensive Serie A player
•  Listen to the latest episode of Mail Sport’s podcast It’s All Kicking Off

Ex-Atalanta player Joakim Maehle hit out at his former coach Gian Piero Gasperini and his lack of ‘freedom’ at the Serie A side after securing a permanent move to Bundesliga outfit Wolfsburg. 

The 26-year-old decried the ‘super tough’ mental environment reportedly overseen by the Italian manager, who has taken charge in Bergamo since 2016. 

Speaking ahead of Denmark’s 2024 Euro qualifier against San Marino on Thursday, the Danish full-back was outspoken about his desire to leave the club during the summer’s transfer window. 

Along with Maehle, the Lombardy club also waved goodbye to rising starlet Rasmus Hojlund, who joined Manchester United for £72million to become Serie A’s most expensive player during the window. 

As per Maehle’s retelling, reported by Danish site tipsbladet.dk, Hojlund also found himself in Gasperini’s firing line whilst at the club. 

Joakim Maehle (left) decried head coach Gian Piero Gasperini’s rigorous training environment after leaving Atalanta for Wolfsburg this summer

The Italian manager has been at the helm of the Lombardy-based club for over seven years

Maehle (left) has played under the manager since his December 2020 move from Genk

‘The coach decided everything. And there wasn’t really any freedom,’ Maehle told reporters when asked about his time at Atalanta. ‘Event though I lived in a nice place and the weather was good, I didn’t have time to enjoy it because we spent so many days and hours at the training ground.

‘It was super tough mentally. Even if you played a great game at the weekend, and the following one you didn’t play too well for 20 minutes, you would go to the back of the queue again. 

‘There was not the continuity you see in other places. Mentally, I could feel that I really needed a change.’

Maehle is said to have smiled when one journalist asked if being at the club felt like ‘a prison’, adding: ‘You are saying it.’

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Of Gasperini, he said: ‘He really decided everything. Sometimes, when we had a double training session, he said we should stay and sleep at the training facility, so we were not allowed to go back home.

‘You don’t feel like a person. You feel like a number. You have no relationship with the coach. He would stand there and blame someone for something strange. 

‘For example, he was furious when Rasmus (Hojlund) and I came to training by car together.

‘He didn’t want us to drive together. Because then we could sit and talk together on the way to training, and enjoy ourselves. He didn’t want that, and I got scolded even if it had been agreed with the club because he (Hojlund) had no driver.

‘I don’t know if it’s typical Italians,’ Maehle continued. ‘But some things make you angry and tired in the long run.’

Mail Sport has reached out to Atalanta for comment.  

Rasmus Hojlund also left Bergamo this summer, becoming Serie A’s most expensive player during the window with his £72m move to Man United

Prior to his departure for Wolfsburg, Maehle had played for Atalanta for two and a half years, after joining the club in December 2020 from Genk. 

During his time in Bergamo, Maehle scored six times, registering seven further assists, in 96 appearances across all competitions. 

Hojlund made his first appearance for his new club during Man United’s defeat to a  smash-and-grab Arsenal side on Sunday, which saw Erik ten Hag’s side lose 3-1 at the last courtesy of injury-time goals from Declan Rice and Gabriel Jesus. 

The Danish striker came on in the 67th minute to replace Anthony Martial, as part of his gradual start to life in Manchester as he recovers from a lingering back injury. 

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