Atalanta BC
Full name | Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio S.p.A. | |||
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Nickname(s) | La Dea (The Goddess), Orobici, Nerazzurri (The Black and Blues) | |||
Founded | 17 October 1907citation needed] | [|||
Ground | Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia Mapei Stadium – Città del Tricolore (European competition matches) | |||
Capacity | 21,300[1] | |||
President[2] | Antonio Percassi | |||
Head Coach | Gian Piero Gasperini | |||
League | Serie A | |||
2023–24 | Serie A, 4th of 20 | |||
Website | Club website | |||
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Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio, commonly known as just Atalanta, Atalanta Bergamo or the abbreviation Atalanta BC, is an Italian football club based in Bergamo, Lombardy. The club currently plays in Serie A, having gained promotion from Serie B in 2010–11.
They are nicknamed the Nerazzurri and the Orobici. Atalanta play in blue-and-black vertically striped shirts, black shorts and black socks. The club stadium is the 21,300 seat Atleti Azzurri d'Italia.
In Italy, Atalanta is sometimes called Regina delle provinciali (queen of the provincial clubs) to mark the fact that the club is by far the most consistent among italian clubs not based in a metropolitan area, having played 58 times in Serie A, 28 times in Serie B and only once in Serie C.
The club won the Coppa Italia in 1963 and reached the Cup Winners' Cup semi-final in 1988, when it was still competing in Serie B. This is still the best ever performance by a non-first division club in a major UEFA competition (together with Cardiff City). Atalanta also participated in four seasons of UEFA Europa League (previously known as UEFA Cup), reaching the quarter-finals in the 1990–91 season.
History
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The club was founded in 1907.[3] A football club had existed in Bergamo since 1903. Founded by Swiss immigrants, it was known as Foot Ball Club Bergamo. The rival Atalanta club grew out of a division between different sporting societies in the town. The name is taken from the female athlete of Greek mythology. The FIGC was unimpressed with the new club and did not officially recognize them until 1914. The current club is the result of a merger between Atalanta and a third team called Bergamasca. The first, black and white coloured and the second wearing a blue and white shirt, merged in 1924 as Atalanta Bergamasca di Ginnastica e Scherma 1907. The team moved to the site of the current ground, on the Viale Giulio Cesare, in 1928.
Atalanta joined the Italian league in 1929. The club first reached Serie A in 1937, but was relegated immediately. The club returned in 1940 and remained in Serie A until 1959; after a single season in Serie B, the club was promoted and lasted a further decade in Serie A before relegation in 1973 led to an uncertain period of promotion and relegation between the two levels.
The club achieved its highest position at the time in 1948, finishing in fifth place, a feat only bettered in 2017. In 1981, the club fell into Serie C1, a blow which revitalised the club. The team returned to Serie B the next season and made it back to Serie A in 1984. The club's form in Serie A remained uncertain, as it was relegated in 1987, 1994, 1998, 2003, 2005 and 2010. After a change of ownership,[4] in 2011, Atalanta immediately came back to Serie A, where it has been ever since.
In terms of titles the club has won little, their sole major silverware is the 1963 Coppa Italia. The club has had a few good runs in Europe, on several occasions being eliminated by the eventual winners.
Welsh club Merthyr Tydfil caused an upset in the 1987–88 European Cup Winners' Cup, beating Atalanta 2–1 in the first leg of their first round match at Penydarren Park. After winning the second leg 2–0 in Bergamo, Atalanta went on to reach the semi-finals, losing to eventual winners Mechelen of Belgium, but in the process becoming one of only two teams in the competition's history to reach the penultimate round while playing their football outside of the national top flight league. Oddly enough, the only other team to do so being Merthyr Tydfil's countrymen at Cardiff City.
Atalanta reached the UEFA Cup quarter-finals in the 1990–91 season, losing to local rivals Internazionale, who went on to beat another Italian side, Roma, in the final to win the tournament. The club never played European club competitions between 1991 and 2017, although turned down the opportunity to play in the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 2001 after finishing in seventh place in Serie A, regional rivals of Brescia played the tournament instead, losing only in the final against French side Paris Saint-Germain.
In recent years, the club was relegated after the 2002–03, 2004–05 and 2009–10 seasons, but gained the promotion to Serie A after only one season every time.
In 2011–12, Atalanta was docked six points in the league table due to the outcome of an Italian football scandal. Nevertheless, the club managed to secure another year in Serie A by gaining 52 points in 38 games. The following year, for the same reasons, the club was docked two points in the league but avoided relegation reaching the 15th spot in the final table. In the 2013–14, Atalanta enjoyed another strong campaign, finishing in 11th place.
Atalanta struggled during the 2014–15 season despite some impressive results. At the beginning of the season, manager Stefano Colantuono committed his future to the club. On 4 March 2015, however, he was sacked after a poor run of form which left Atalanta only three points above the relegation zone. He was replaced by Edoardo Reja, who secured the club's status in Serie A for 2015–16, where Atalanta finished 13th.
In 2016–17 Atalanta stuttered at the beginning of the season and new coach Gian Piero Gasperini was on the verge of dismissal, but with an amazing run of positive results the team secured an impressive 4th-placed finish with 72 points, thus celebrating its return to Europe after 26 years, qualifying for the UEFA Europa League.
In 2017–18 only got a 7th place, giving them the chance to qualify for UEFA Europa League. However, they were defeated by Danish team FC København in the final of qualification.
Players
Current squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Other players under contract
- As of 24 August 2018
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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On loan
- As of 31 August 2018
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Youth team
Retired numbers
12 – Dedication to fans, in particularly for Pisani Curve ones
14 – Federico Pisani, Forward (1991–97) – posthumous honour.
80 – Elio Corbani, radio journalist.[67]
Noted players
- See also: Category:Atalanta B.C. players
Youth System
The Atalanta youth system consists of four men's teams that participate in separate national leagues (Primavera, Allievi Nazionali A and B, and Giovanissimi Nazionali) and two that participate at a regional level (Giovanissimi Regionali A and B).[68]
The first person who was committed to set up the Atalanta youth teams was Giuseppe Ciatto. Every organisational aspect was dealt with and resolved by him, and he also took care to train the various teams. In 1949 Atalanta won the Campionato Ragazzi.
In the late 1950s former Atalanta player Luigi Tentorio (then Special Commissioner of the club) felt the need to start investing more systematically in youth: he decided to create a real youth sector, with its own independent structure from the first team. The youth sector was entrusted to Giuseppe Brolis, who created a partnership with various clubs in the Veneto and Friuli regions, building a network of scouts and young coaches.
A crucial step in the history of the Bergamo youth sector took place in the early 1990s when the president Antonio Percassi implemented a new investment policy, especially at the youth level. He managed to convince Fermo Favini to leave Como and entrusted him with the responsibility of the youth sector.
The Atalanta youth system not only continued to increase the production of players for the first team, but began to win several honours in the most important national leagues. From 1991 to 2014, the various youth teams have won 17 national titles.
Apart from successes at youth level, the Atalanta youth system is also one of the most highly regarded in Europe: according to a ranking by the study centre in Coverciano, Atalanta have the top youth system in Italy and the sixth in Europe, behind Real Madrid, Barcelona and three French teams. The parameters used were the amount of first division players produced by the club.[69] In the 2007–08 season, 22 players from Atalanta's youth played in Serie A, 32 in Serie B and 3 abroad.[69]
In 2014, a global study of the "CIES Football Observatory", placed the Atalanta youth system eighth place in the world, with 25 former youth players who play in the top 5 European leagues.[70]
Presidential history
Atalanta have had several presidents (chairmen) (Italian: presidenti, lit. 'presidents' or Italian: presidenti del consiglio di amministrazione, lit. 'chairmen of the board of directors') over the course of their history. Some of them have been the main shareholder of the club. The longest-serving chairman is Ivan Ruggeri, who was relieved of his duties after he suffered a stroke in January 2008, being replaced by his son Alessandro[71] who was named chairman of Atalanta in September 2008. Alessandro's father was unable to manage the team due to the consequences of the stroke.[72] In June 2010, after another relegation to Serie B, Alessandro Ruggeri sold his share of the club to Antonio Percassi, who became the new chairman of Atalanta.[4]
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Managerial history
Atalanta have had many managers and head coaches throughout their history, below is a chronological list of them from when Serie A was changed into a league format, from 1929–30 onwards.
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Supporters
Atalanta's supporters are considered very loyal. When Atalanta plays at the Atleti Azzurri d'Italia, the supporters in the Curva Nord (North Curve) encourage the team with their chants during the entire match.
The biggest rivalry is with the neighbouring supporters of Brescia,[74] and there are strong rivalries also with supporters of Verona, Genoa, Fiorentina, Roma,[75] Lazio, Napoli, Milan, Internazionale, Torino; while there has been a long-standing friendship with Ternana, fans of the German Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt and fans of the Austrian club Wacker Innsbruck.[76]
On special occasions, Atalanta supporters display a very large black and blue flag called Bandierù which covers the whole Curva Nord stand.
Honours
Domestic
- Winners (6):[77] 1927–28, 1939–40, 1958–59, 1983–84, 2005–06, 2010–11
- Runners-up (4): 1936–37, 1970–71, 1976–77, 1999-00
- Winners (1): 1981–82
- Winners (2): 1992–93, 1997–98
- Runners-up (3): 2001–02, 2004–05, 2012–13
- Winners (3): 1999–00, 2000–01, 2002–03
- Winners (3): 2005–06, 2009–10, 2012–13
References
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- ^ a b "Atalanta, è tornato Percassi Nella notte la firma dell'accordo". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). 4 June 2010. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
- ^ "Team". Atalanta B.C. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
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- ^ "UFFICIALE: SPAL, ecco il giovane Salvi in prestito dall'Atalanta - TUTTOmercatoWEB.com".
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- ^ "UFFICIALE: Udinese, dall'Atalanta arriva D'Alessandro". Retrieved 18 August 2018.
- ^ "UFFICIALE: Livorno, preso Fazzi dall'Atalanta - TUTTOmercatoWEB.com".
- ^ "UFFICIALE: Palermo, arriva Haas dall'Atalanta - TUTTOmercatoWEB.com".
- ^ "UFFICIALE: rinnovato il prestito di Denis Hergheligiu".
- ^ "ESCLUSIVA MP - Torino, in arrivo un giovane centrocampista dall'Atalanta". 3 August 2018.
- ^ "AC MILAN COMUNICATO UFFICIALE: Kessie in prestito fino al 2019 con obbligo di riscatto".
- ^ "STAGIONE AI NASTRI DI PARTENZA. Sabato inizia il ritiro - U.S. Citta di Pontedera". 19 July 2018.
- ^ "UFFICIALE: Pescara, preso Melegoni". Retrieved 11 August 2018.
- ^ "Vastese: preso Giorgio Pagliari, nello staff arrivano Riccardo Cantarini e Giancarlo Beni Le foto".
- ^ "UFFICIALE: Carrarese, dall'Atalanta arriva Pugliese - TUTTOmercatoWEB.com".
- ^ "UFFICIALE: Teramo, dall'Atalanta arriva in presto Ranieri - TUTTOmercatoWEB.com".
- ^ "Ufficiale: Andrea Rinaldi e Raffaele De Gregorio sono giocatori dell'Imolese Calcio • newsrimini.it". 18 July 2018.
- ^ "Joao Schmidt saluta: va in prestito al Rio Ave - CalcioAtalanta". calcioatalanta.it.
- ^ "UFFICIALE: Alessandria, preso Tentoni in prestito dall'Atalanta - TUTTOmercatoWEB.com".
- ^ "adrense.it - Passione in bianco e nero". www.adrense.it.
- ^ "UFFICIALE: Pescara, dall'Atalanta torna Capone". Retrieved 17 August 2018.
- ^ "UFFICIALE: Juve Stabia, dall'Atalanta arriva in prestito Elia - TUTTOmercatoWEB.com".
- ^ "UFFICIALE: Pistoiese, arriva Latte Lath. Ai saluti Priola - TUTTOmercatoWEB.com".
- ^ "UFFICIALE: Atalanta, il centravanti Louka in prestito al Palermo - TUTTOmercatoWEB.com".
- ^ "UFFICIALE: Giana Erminio, dall'Atalanta arriva Lunetta - TUTTOmercatoWEB.com".
- ^ "UFFICIALE: Sudtirol, arriva l'attaccante Mazzocchi - TUTTOmercatoWEB.com".
- ^ "Monachello on loan to Pescara". Retrieved 18 July 2018.
- ^ "La Paganese accoglie Parigi, il giovane "ariete" richiesto da mister Fusco - ZonaCalcio.net". 1 August 2018.
- ^ "UFFICIALE: Spal, ecco Petagna in prestito con obbligo di riscatto - TUTTOmercatoWEB.com".
- ^ "Reggina, i convocati per il ritiro e lo staff di Cevoli". 12 July 2018.
- ^ "UFFICIALE: Perugia, in attacco c'è Vido. Arriva in prestito - TUTTOmercatoWEB.com".
- ^ "In onore di Elio Corbani l'Atalanta ritira la maglia 80" (in Italian). 14 March 2012. Archived from the original on 17 April 2012. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Settore Giovanile" (in Italian). Atalanta.it. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
- ^ a b "Dal vivaio alla prima squadra, un percorso educativo – CALCIO La lezione al palazzetto dello sport di Stefano Bonaccorso – RovigoOggi.it, quotidiano online di informazioni su Rovigo e provincia. News ed aggiornamenti dal Polesine di cronaca, politica, sport, eventi, cultura". Rovigooggi.it. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
- ^ Redazione CalcioNews24 (20 June 2014). "Atalanta, fabbrica di talenti: è il miglior settore giovanile d'Italia". Calcio News 24. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ News from Yahoo news[dead link]
- ^ "Alessandro Ruggeri: "Vi racconto la mia Atalanta" – Sport Bergamo". Eco.bg.it. Archived from the original on 28 July 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
{{cite web}}
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(help); Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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- ^ "Roma V Atalanta a bit of history". asroma.it.
- ^ Hall, Richard (7 January 2014). "Atalanta: Serie A alternative club guide". the Guardian.
- ^ (Italian record shared with Genoa C.F.C.)