Bergamo, this is for you

At the beginning of March, Italy was the country most affected by the coronavirus in Europe. The epicenter was in the north, in Lombardy, and the worst situation was in Bergamo. A large number of deaths were recorded daily, and the memories of the convoy of trucks, which took the bodies of the deceased to the crematorium outside the city, are still fresh.

While the virus was spreading, football was still being played. True, it was a matter of days when the teams would take a temporary vacation - the borders were closed, the number of infected and dead across the continent was growing, and before the total "lockdown" some second leg matches of the round of XNUMX of the Champions League were played.

One of those meetings was on March 10. That evening, Atalanta defeated Valencia (3:4) in the second leg of the round of XNUMX at the empty "Mestalja" and advanced to the quarterfinals. The historic success, a great result, was celebrated by the players gathered around the Slovenian striker Josip Ilicic. The scorer of all four goals, he was holding a T-shirt that said - Bergamo, this is for you.

Support was necessary, and the fight against an invisible enemy was exhausting. Football brought some joy to the homes, but the fans could not welcome their heroes from Valencia and celebrate the success together. A ban on gatherings was in force, so upon returning from Spain, the players were greeted by silence at the airport instead of a song. The city was deserted. The silence was interrupted by the sirens of ambulances or the bell from the church.

- We know that people who watched the match cannot leave the house to celebrate this success. I promise, we will celebrate in June. We will have a big party and this danger will be overcome - Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini said at the time. June came, but the Champions League did not continue. Everything has been moved to August. Finally, five months after the match in Spain, "Boginja" continues the European fairy tale tonight in Lisbon (21 p.m.). The rival is the powerful PSG.

FROM "POKER" IN ZAGREB TO AN EPIC NIGHT IN KHARKOV

Atalanta's debut participation in the Champions League began in a group with Manchester City, Shakhtar and Dinamo Zagreb. She played matches in Milan, about 40 kilometers away from Bergamo. In addition, nearly 40.000 fans followed the matches at San Siro.

The competition started with a disaster on "Maksimir". Dinamo won 4:0 and ended the streak of 11 consecutive losing matches in the Champions League. Then came the defeat against Shakhtar, and the debacle and five conceded goals against City at the Etihad. Three matches - three defeats, with a goal difference of 2:11. It seemed that "La Dea" had nothing to look for in the Champions League.

In the fourth round, City traveled to Milan and after seven minutes led Sterling with a goal. And when at the end of the first part a penalty was awarded to the guests, no one thought about the chances of the Italian club for the round of 97. That's when the turning point came - Jesus missed, Atalanta equalized to the end, won the first point and, thanks to the crazy match in Zagreb, where Shakhtar reached a draw with a goal in the XNUMXth minute, remained in some kind of race for spring in the Champions League.

In the fifth round, the team from the north of Italy took revenge on Dinamo for the defeat in the premiere. Shakhtar drew a point in England and Atalanta needed a win in the last round in Ukraine for the round of XNUMX. Difficult, not impossible.

The decisive match in Kharkiv was also the best. Kastanje, Pašalić and Gosens guessed. Despite all expectations, the team returned from Ukraine as a participant in the round of XNUMX of the Champions League. The "goddess" was in heaven. Never before has a team secured the knockout stage after three straight defeats at the start of the competition.

- We will remember this night forever - Papu Gomes said after the match.

The fans will also remember it - several thousand fans met the team at the airport two hours after midnight. It's not that often that their team goes far in Europe.

DUELS WITH VALENCIA - FROM A DREAM TO A "BIOLOGICAL BOMB"

It was the turn of the round of 19. Opponent - Valencia, and the first match at "San Siro" is scheduled for February XNUMX.

That day, a large convoy of cars headed for Milan. The drive, which usually lasts 40 minutes, was extended to three hours. Fans took the day off from work, pupils did not go to school, students attended lectures, euphoric parents took their children on a trip - everything was subordinated to the "Goddess".

And the "Goddess" knew how to repay. Four goals in the net of the "bats" (4:1) was enough for a rematch. The dream continued, and Milan became the epicenter of a European football fairy tale.

But also the epicenter of the infection. Two days after the match, the first cases of coronavirus were reported in Bergamo. Then there was a large spread of the infection, and Italy became the European hotspot. Officials described the match as a “biological bomb”.

- The virus was among us, and we had no idea that 40.000 people from San Siro were infected. The virus was transmitted from person to person. People came in groups and there was physical contact - said the mayor of Bergamo, Đorđo Gari.

The fans of the visitors were also in the stadium. Soon the corona appeared in Spain, so it was decided that the second leg at "Mestalja" would be played in front of empty stands.

In the second leg, "La Dea" won again and advanced to the quarterfinals - it was 4:3, and Josip Ilicic, who will not play against PSŽ due to depression (a consequence of corona and the shocking images from Bergamo?) scored all four goals.

"We know the value of football in difficult times, like the one we are in now. This is a special moment for the team, the city and Lombardy. Thank you to the players and coaching staff because they gave us two hours of joy," the club said after the rematch.

United in tragedy - fans donate money to hospital

It is not the first time that Atalanta cannot celebrate success. After winning the only trophy in the club's history, the Italian Cup in 1963, the celebration was canceled due to the death of Pope John XXIII.

Today, the hospital in Bergamo bears his name. During the previous months, the employees of that institution have grown into true heroes of the city at the foot of the Alps. Their concern and fight for people's health was also rewarded by the fans - everyone who had purchased tickets, paid transportation and accommodation to Valencia donated money to the hospital. A total of 60 thousand euros.

Club, players, fans - united in difficult moments.

- We will organize a big party at the end of this dark period - Duvan Zapata promised the fans.

Who knows, maybe Atalanta will organize the party like European champions. It would be a happy ending to another fairy tale.