Atalanta B.C.
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| Full name | Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio SpA |
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| Nickname(s) | La Dea (The Goddess), Nerazzurri (Black-blues) Orobici (Orobics) |
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| Founded | 1907 | |||
| Ground | Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia, Bergamo, Italy (Capacity: 24,642) |
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| Chairman |  Alessandro Ruggeri |
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| Manager | Angelo Gregucci |
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| League | Serie A | |||
| 2008-09 | Serie A, 11th | |||
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 Current season |
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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. 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 26,638 seater 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 historically one of the best among non-metropolitan ones.
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History
The club was founded in 1907. A football club had existed in Bergamo since 1904. Founded by Swiss wealthy immigrants, it was known as FC 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 A until 1959; after a single season in Serie B the club was promoted and lasted a further decade in A, before relegation in 1973 led to an uncertain period of promotion and relegation between the two levels.
The club achieved its highest position in 1948, finishing in 5th place. In 1981 the club fell into Serie C1, a blow which revitalised the club. The team returned to B the next season and made it back to A in 1985. The club's form in Serie A remains uncertain, as it was relegated in 1988, 1995, 1998 and 2005.
In terms of titles the club has won little, their sole silverware is the 1963 Coppa Italia. The club has had very few good runs in Europe, the best spell ending in a Cup Winners' Cup semi-final in 1988; in 1991 Atalanta reached UEFA Cup quarter-finals.
The club's youth system has produced many sucessful players, such as Roberto Donadoni (Italy national team coach from July 2006), Alessio Tacchinardi, Domenico Morfeo, Giampaolo Pazzini, Riccardo Montolivo, Ivan Pelizzoli, and Samuele Dalla Bona who have quickly been grabbed by the bigger clubs. Other players who have graced the Atleti Azzurri d'Italia include Claudio Caniggia, Glenn Strömberg, Alemao, Paolo Montero, Christian Vieri, Filippo Inzaghi, Gianluigi Lentini, Cristiano Lucarelli, Cristiano Doni, and, in the past, Stefano Angeleri, Adriano Bassetto, Antonio Cabrini, Angelo Domenghini, Humberto Maschio, Mario Mereghetti, Giuseppe Savoldi, and Gaetano Scirea
Current squad
As of May 19, 2009 [1]
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Confirmed transfers
Out on loan
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Noted players
Ordered by first season played for Atalanta
- See also: Category:Atalanta B.C. players
- Stefano Salvatori (1991-96)
- Cristian Zenoni (1994-2001)
- Damiano Zenoni (1994-2004)
- Filippo Inzaghi (1996-97)
- Cristiano Doni (1998-2003, 2006-)
- Massimo Donati (1999-2001)
- Nicola Ventola (2000-01, 2005-07)
- Riccardo Montolivo (2003-05)
Glenn Strömberg (1984-92)
Evair (1988-91)
Claudio Caniggia (1989-92, 1999-2000)
Zoran Mirković (1996-98)
Ousmane Dabo (2001-2003)
Presidential history
Atalanta have had several presidents over the course of their history. Some of them have been the owners of the club, while others have been honorary presidents. The past president is Ivan Ruggeri, who was relieved of his duties after he suffered a stroke in January 2008, being replaced by his son Alessandro. [2] Alessandro was named president of Atalanta in September 2008. His father who was unable to manage the team due to the consequences of the stroke.[3]
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Managerial history
Atalanta have had many managers and head coaches throughout their history, below is a cronological list of them from when Serie A was changed into a league format, from 1929–30 onwards.
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Honours
- Coppa Italia
- Winners 1962/63
- Serie B
- Champions 1939/40, 1958/59, 1983/84, 2005-06
- Serie C1
- Champions 1981/82
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, and there are strong rivalries also with supporters of Verona, Genoa, Fiorentina, Roma, Lazio, Napoli, Milan, Inter, 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.
On special occasions Atalanta supporters display a very large black and blue flag called Bandierone which covers the whole Curva Nord stand.
References
- ^ "ROSA UFFICIALE ATALANTA BERGAMASCA CALCIO - STAGIONE 2008/2009". Atalanta B.C.. http://www.atalanta.it/atalanta/show.do?dispatch=page&area=squadra. Retrieved on 2009-05-19.
- ^ News from Yahoo news,[1]
- ^ http://www.eco.bg.it/EcoOnLine/SPORT/2008/09/03_ruggeri_intervista.shtml
