Red-hot Retegui hunting first Champions League goal against Celtic

Mateo Retegui is gunning for his first Champions League goal as the Italy striker heads into Atalanta’s Champions League clash with Celtic in hot form and ready to make up for the incredible double miss which cost his team a win against Arsenal.

Born in Argentina, Retegui has replaced Gianluca Scamacca as starting centre-forward for Italy and Atalanta since his Azzurri teammate suffered a serious knee injury before the start of the season.

Scamacca was one of the key figures behind Atalanta’s stunning Europa League triumph last season, expertly leading the line and banging in crucial goals in his team’s best ever campaign.

But Retegui has had such an impact up front since signing from Genoa in August that by the time Scamacca returns next year he will have a huge task winning back his place in Atalanta’s exciting front line alongside Ademola Lookman and Charles De Ketelaere.

The 25-year-old is the leading scorer in Serie A with eight goals and netted in both of rejuvenated Italy’s recent Nations League matches against Belgium and Israel.

“He was a player that we liked before he came here for his playing style and what he did before at Genoa,” said coach Gian Piero Gasperini after Sunday’s 2-0 win at Venezia.

“We all hoped that he would develop his game even more and that’s what’s happening, anyone can see it. But the team is putting him in the right situations so that he can be decisive for us.”

Retegui’s latest effort was an absolute peach, a delightful dink over Filip Stankovic which effectively sealed Atalanta’s win at Venezia on Sunday afternoon.

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He was also crucial to Mario Pasalic’s early opener, challenging for the ball which dropped