Atalanta Football Club

Atalanta Football Club was founded on October 17, 1907, and is based in Bergamo, Lombardy, Italy. The club currently competes in Serie A, with its home matches held at the Gewiss Stadium. The team wears blue and black colors as their home kit.

Atalanta joined Italy’s professional football leagues in 1929, making their Serie A debut in 1937. After that, they spent many seasons in Serie B, winning the second division championship in both the 1939/40 and 1958/59 seasons. In 1963, Atalanta achieved a significant milestone by winning the Coppa Italia. The club went on to win the Serie B championship three more times: in the 1983/84, 2005/06, and 2010/11 seasons. Throughout its history, Atalanta has contributed many players to the Italian national team, such as Donadoni, Vieri, and Inzaghi. Since their 2011 promotion from Serie B, Atalanta has consistently played in Serie A. Under coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who joined in 2016, Atalanta achieved three consecutive third-place finishes in the 2018/19, 2019/20, and 2020/21 Serie A seasons. Notably, in 2019/20, they reached the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals in their debut appearance.

On May 23, 2024, Atalanta made club history by winning their first European title, the UEFA Europa League, by defeating Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 with a hat-trick from Lookman.

Team History

Foundation

The club was founded in 1907 by five members of the Orobie Sports Club: the Amati brothers (Gino and Ferruccio), Giovanni Roberti, Alessandro Fiorini, and Eugenio Urillo. Vittorio Adelasio was chosen as the first club president, and the team was named after the beautiful Greek mythological figure, Atalanta.

In 1920, Atalanta merged with the Bergamasca Gymnastics and Fencing Club, forming Atalanta & Bergamasca Gymnastics and Fencing Club. They adopted black and blue as their team colors, and Luzzinger became the first president of the new club. Atalanta’s first official match resulted in a 4-1 victory.

League Participation

Atalanta made their Serie B debut in the 1929/30 season and soon earned promotion to Serie A, only to be relegated again in the 1936/37 season. After a return to Serie A in 1940, they maintained their position until the 1957/58 season. Despite winning the Serie B championship, they faced subsequent relegations.

By the time World War II broke out, Atalanta had produced notable players, such as goalkeeper Carlo Ceresoli, known for his role in Italy’s 3-2 victory over England in 1934, as well as prolific scorers like Armando Salvi and Giulio Panzeri. In the postwar years, Atalanta reached a club-high fifth place in Serie A in 1947/48. This period marked the beginning of Atalanta’s recruitment of international players, including well-known names like Swedish forward Hasse Jeppson, who joined in 1951 and went on to become a major signing for Napoli.

First Trophy

In 1963, Atalanta achieved their first major victory by winning the Coppa Italia. They defeated Torino 3-1 in the final at San Siro, with Angelo Domenghini securing the win with a hat-trick. Despite this success, the team’s performance declined in the following years, and by the 1980/81 season, they had dropped to Serie C.

With financial backing from club president Achille Bortolotti in the 1970s, Atalanta began a revival. They returned to Serie A in 1983/84, producing talented players who went on to represent Italy on the world stage, including Gaetano Scirea and Roberto Donadoni. In the 1990s, the club experienced fluctuating success, alternating between Serie A and Serie B but continuing to develop talent, including stars like Filippo Inzaghi and Vieri, along with the Argentine “Son of the Wind,” Claudio Caniggia.

Setbacks

In 1989, a tragic car accident claimed the life of Cesare Bortolotti, the son of the then-club president. The team faced further hardship when promising midfielder Federico Pisani, a youth academy product, and his agent also died in a car crash in 1997. In memory of Pisani, Atalanta retired his number 14 jersey and named a section of their stadium after him.

Promotion to Serie A and Champions League Appearance

At the start of the 2016 season, coach Gian Piero Gasperini joined the club, ushering in a new era of success. Under his guidance, Atalanta made their first appearance in the UEFA Champions League in the 2019/20 season, reaching the quarterfinals. The team set multiple records, including the club’s highest points tally (78), most goals scored in a Serie A season (98), and the best goal differential (+50).

Europa League Triumph

On May 23, 2024, Atalanta won the Europa League for the first time in club history, defeating Bayer Leverkusen 3-0, with Lookman scoring all three goals. This victory marked Atalanta as the first Italian club to win the Europa League since Parma in 1999. This European title was celebrated as a monumental achievement for the club.

Atalanta LINEUPS 2024-2025

Goalkeepers

• J. Musso
• On Loan at Atletico Madrid
• P. Vismara
• On Loan at Sampdoria
• R. Patricio
• M. Carnesecchi
• F. Rossi
• P. Gollini
• On Loan at Genoa

Defenders

• R. Toloi
• O. Kossounou
• On Loan from Bayer Leverkusen
• L.Hien
• G. Cittadini
• On Loan at Frosinone
• B. Godfrey
• J. Cuadrado
• R. Bellanova
• B. Djimsiti
• B. Soppy
• S. Kolasinac
• M. Palestra
• G. Scalvini
• G. Bonfanti
• On Loan at Pisa

Midfielders

• L.Sulemana
• M. Adopo
• On Loan at Cagliari
• M. Pasalic
• N. Zaniolo
• On Loan from Galatasaray
• A. Lookman
• Ederson
• M. de Roon
• C. De Ketelaere
• M. Bakker
• On Loan at Lille
• M. Ruggeri
• L. SamardzicOn Loan from Udinese
• M. BrescianiniOn Loan from Frosinone
• F. Steffanoni
• D.Zappacosta

Attackers

• G.Scamacca
• E. Toure
• On Loan at VfB Stuttgart
• S. MazzocchiOn Loan at Ternana
• M. Retegui
• R. Piccoli
• On Loan at Cagliari

Manager

• Gian Piero Gasperini

Home Stadium

Gewiss Stadium, also known as the Bergamo Stadium, has been Atalanta’s home since its opening in 1928. Originally designed to hold 12,000 spectators, the stadium underwent renovations to reach a capacity of 19,768. The stadium’s stands include tributes to Federico Pisani and Piermario Morosini, a former player.

Honors

• Coppa Italia: 1962/63 (1)
• Serie B Championships: 1939/40, 1958/59, 1983/84, 2005/06, 2010/11 (5)
• Serie C Championship: 1981/82 (1)
• Europa League: 2023/24 (1)

Club evaluation

Atalanta is truly a source of pride for Italian football, not only for its achievements but also for the way it plays. While Spanish teams have long been known for their attacking style, Italian teams often focused on defense—until Atalanta came along to show Italian football’s beautiful, aggressive side. Their relentless offensive drive has overwhelmed opponents, with Valencia being just one of their many victims.

Watching Atalanta is a thrill; it’s almost impossible not to appreciate their style. The last time a home team won a Champions League knockout match at San Siro was AC Milan back in the 2012/13 season, defeating a formidable Barcelona 2-0. Recently, when Interfaced a rotated Barcelona side in this stadium, they ended up losing and missing out on qualification. Atalanta’s performance has undoubtedly left Milan’s two traditional powerhouses with something to think about.

Atalanta is one of the finest examples of Italian football in recent years, making their matches pure entertainment. In European competitions, they have the ability to challenge any opponent. Their high league standing is a testament to their forward-thinking, international playing style, which has made an impact both domestically and across Europe. In recent years, Atalanta has steadily strengthened, building a formidable team known for their tactical intelligence, aggression, and passion.