Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini appreciates the support of Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel.
Tuchel praised Gasperini last week while attending the Festival della Football.
Gasperini smiled: "It's perhaps one of the most prestigious compliments I've received. Tuchel won the Champions League, eliminating some big favourites, so we saw that as a reward.
“At the same time, this is Atalanta. If people expect us to win the Scudetto, then that's going to create a lot of problems. It's certainly not in my thoughts."
La Dea meet Manchester United in the Champions League in midweek.
He added: "It's a very prestigious match and an important one, especially considering the state of the group standings, but we have to think about Empoli and take it one game at a time.
“We're rather forced into some decisions and need to check Duvan Zapata's fitness today. Luis Muriel needs to regain match fitness after the long lay-off, the kind you don't get from training alone.
“Joakim Maehle scores lots of goals on international duty, maybe we should put a Denmark shirt on him when he plays for Atalanta!"
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