ATALANTA BC

Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio is commonly referred to as Atalanta. Meanwhile, it is a professional football club based in Bergamo, Lombardy, Italy. The club plays in Serie A. It is the first division in Italy. They gained promotion from Serie B in 2010–11.

History

Liceo Classico Paolo Sarpi students founded Atalanta BC. They nicknamed it La Dea, the Nerazzurri, and the Orobici. The club plays in blue-and-black vertically striped shirts, black shorts, and black socks.

The club plays its home matches at the Gewiss Stadium. This stadium has a capacity of 21,747. In Italy, the fans sometimes call Atalanta Regina Delle provinciali (queen of the provincial clubs).It is in order to mark the fact that they are the most consistent among Italian clubs. This becomes more significant as they are not based in a regional capital. Atalanta BC has played 62 in Serie A, 28 seasons in Serie B, and only one in Serie C.

Achievements

Atalanta BC won the Coppa Italia in 1963. They reached the semi-finals of the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1988. They were competing in Serie B at that time. Meanwhile, this is still the best-ever performance by a non-first-division club in a major UEFA competition (together with Cardiff City).

Atalanta BC also participated in five seasons of the UEFA Europa League (previously known as the UEFA Cup). Moreover, they reached the quarter-finals in 1991 and in 2022. Atalanta additionally qualified for the UEFA Champions League three times, reaching the quarter-finals in 2020.

Rivalry and youth academy

Atalanta has a long-standing rivalry with nearby club Brescia. Meetings between the two clubs are sometimes known as the Derby Lombardo (Lombard Derby). This rivalry has its roots in a historical feud between Bergamo and Brescia dating back to the Middle Ages. Meanwhile, in 1861, the cities’ historical rivalry defined the atmosphere of matches between Atalanta and Brescia. It is defined the entirety of the clubs’ history. In 1993, the tension between the clubs’ supporters escalated further following a match (won 2–0 by Brescia). That match was suspended three times due to violence in the stands. Moreover, it resulted in over 20 spectators being hospitalized.

The club is also famed for its youth academy, which has produced several notable talents who have played in the top leagues of Europe.