After touching down in Italy, Jorginho sat in front of the media at Gewiss Stadium for his pre-Atalanta press conference.

Our combative midfielder was asked for his pre-match thoughts on our opening game of the UEFA Champions League against last season’s UEFA Europa League winners.

He also commented on our own performance on our return to Europe’s biggest competition last season.

“We’ve been trying to improve every day and we need to take the lessons that we got last season,” he said. “It’s the first game so still a long way to go. We need to be ready because it’s definitely going to be a really tough game to start.

“I’ve been very impressed with how Atalanta have played the last few years; training together under the same roof and working towards the same goal. They deserve to be where they are and I’m happy for how they’ve grown as a club and their story is great for Italian football.

“[Mateo Retegui] is a very strong player, especially in the air and he’s got an eye for goal. We should be wary of the way he plays, he’s always growing, he’s always getting better. He’s a down-to-earth player – I hope everything goes well for him, maybe not on the night!”

“It’s no coincidence the results are coming. We need to stay on this path.”

After continuing our incredible unbeaten away run in the Premier League in 2024 with a 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur last weekend, Jorginho was asked how we can translate that trait to European football.

“It’s a bit different and something that we need to learn,” he said. “We’re trying to work together to get to know the competition a bit more. We’re getting better every single day. Everyone is really excited to play in this game and try to win.

“The hunger to win, sticking together, trying to help each other and all the work that we put together behind the scenes from the staff helps players on the pitch. That’s the key.

“The spirit of this group, the energy, the atmosphere in the changing room and training ground is absolutely incredible. Every day we’re happy to be at the training ground. We enjoy being there and it’s really important for what we do. It’s no coincidence the results are coming. We just need to stay on this path.”

Finally, Jorginho was also asked about his young teammate Ethan Nwaneri, who came on in the dying embers of the weekend’s north London derby and regularly trains with the first team.

“He’s a young lad who is growing a lot and is improving every single day,” Jorgi explained. “A talented player with good skills who can dribble, break lines, find the goal and find the pass. I think he can have a good future in front of him if he stays the way he’s been training and tries to improve every day.

“Like every single young kid, they’re quiet at the moment but over time he’s going to get experience and come out of his shell. It’s just about timing. The only thing to focus on is improving every single day and I’m sure that he can.”