Simonelli says La Dea and coach Gian Piero Gasperini are a great example of the best of Italian football.
“Atalanta are truly an example of good management,” said Simonelli in a new documentary, Una vita da Dea.
“They went from being a small club, in a not particularly populous city, to becoming one of the elite clubs in Italian and European football. Last season’s Europa League victory only confirmed their status as a successful model.
“The Percassi family and the directorial team managed to combine an impeccable economic approach with top level sporting results. Their success proves it is possible to balance the books and achieve ambitious targets too.”
Simonelli, on Gasperini, added: “His value was recognised domestically with the Bearzot Award and second place in the Golden Bench recently, but the results achieved on the international stage make him without doubt one of the top European coaches, and the pride of Italian football.”