Following this relegation, it did not take long for Atalanta to return to the top flight. The club only narrowly missed promotion in 1939 because of an inferior goal quotient to Venezia, with whom Atalanta was tied for second place. The next season, president Nardo Bertoncini appointed new coach . Atalanta went on to finish first in the 1939–40 Serie B and achieve promotion to Serie A; this triumph came without a single defeat at home and 25 goals in 31 appearances from striker Giovanni Gaddoni, the most by an Atalanta player in a single league season.