The weekend round of the Italian Championship had under the spotlight the match Atalanta x Lecce, at the Atleti Azzurri stadium in Bergamo, north of the country, on Sunday (27).
In the fight against relegation, the southern visiting team and traveled more than 1,000 km, entered the field without the traditional uniform, whose shirt has wide vertical stripes in red and yellow, the shorts are black and the red socks.
Lecce players used an all -white set without the team’s shield or sponsors brand.
Behind the shirt, the name and number of each athlete remained. In front, the registration in Italian, “Nessun Valore, Nessun Colore”, which means “no value, no color”, plus the print of a small black tape, symbolizing mourning.
It was a message, in protest, to Lega Nazionale Professioni Serie A, the entity that organizes the main national championship in Italy.
On Thursday (24), while the team was concentrated in Brescia for the game against Atalanta, all were taken by surprise for the information that Graziano Fiorita, 47, a club of the club’s longtime-26 years of services-was found dead in his room.
The first news realized that he died sleeping, possibly from a heart attack.
Lecce asked the League to postpone the match, which was initially scheduled for Friday (25), in what was attended. But the new date set by Serie A, Sunday, was badly received.
The club wanted more time to pay condolences and pay tribute to Fiorita, a very dear person in Lecce. The league, however, offered no later date.
Lecce considered the decision a disregard with essential values in society, a lack of feeling and humanity.
However, to avoid defeat by WO (absence), which could further complicate his situation in the table – the series without wins was in ten matches, or almost three months – decided to play, not first issued a note of repudiation.
“The team will take the field to play this game, which symbolizes the loss of ‘fundamental values’, wearing a white, neutral and unidentified shirt – with colors, emblems or logos. It is a gesture of mourning and protest. The official uniforms will only be used again when Graziano Fiorita is back to their land and is honored by their people.”
Before the duel with Atalanta, players and coaching staff were visibly thrilled. While everyone stood, hugged side by side, defender and captain Baschirotto put a bouquet of colorful flowers next to a uniform, which bear the name Graziano and rest on the lawn.
The game had two penalty goals. The “discolored” Lecce made his in the first half, with Swedish Karlsson. Retegui, striker of the Italian team, tied in the second stage.
With the point added in a match that did not want to have played, Lecce reached 27, occupying 17th position among 20 participants in Serie A, two points ahead of Venezia, the 18th and first among the three that fall to the second.
There are four rounds to the championship, which is led by Napoli (74 points) and has Inter Milan in second place (71 points), finish.
Lecce will promote Fiorita’s farewell on Tuesday (29), at a funeral at the municipal stadium via del Mare, the home of the team.
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