Located less than an hour’s drive away from Milan, the city of Bergamo is the home to one of the top Ultras in Italian football… the Curva Nord 1907 of Atalanta B.C.
When Adriano visited the Stadio Atleti Azzuri d’Italia (or Gewiss Stadium) recently, he was told that the Atalanta Ultras had “very few friends”, a reputation that they’re proud of:
So we decided to look into the Atalanta B.C. Ultras
For those who are unaware, the term ‘Ultra’ refers to the most passionate, engaged and extreme fans in world football. Most football clubs in Europe have a supporter group that is considered an ‘Ultra’, however the Ultras from Atalanta take this definition to a new level. Despite the venue’s small stature and seemingly outdated facilities, the atmosphere generated by the Curva Nord 1907 will make the 20,000 people capacity feel like 60,000 or more.
They occupy the north end of the Stadio Atleti Azzuri d’Italia
The Curva Nord 1907, named after the curved stand at the north end of the Stadia Atleti Azzuri d’Italia, has the reputation of being one of the most inflammatory supporter groups in Europe. Boasting incredible tifos1, often including fireworks and flares, the Curva Nord literally lights up on match days.
They hate everybody
The Atalanta Ultras live by the motto “Ci stanno sul cazzo tutti”, “We hate everybody”. This has generated a variety of heated rivalries with other football teams in Italy’s Serie A. Unfortunately, as is the case with many football rivalries, this has occasionally spilled over into violent clashes with opposition fanbases – to the chagrin of football fans and club officials.
They drove a tank over cars painted in opposition colours once
La Festa Della Dea or ‘The Festival of the Goddess’, is an annual multi-day festival organised by the Curva Nord that involves a variety of activities primarily engaged in celebrating Atalanta FC and providing excitement and hype leading into the new season.
Unsurprisingly, the La Festa Della Dea has been a little crazy at times over the years. None more notable than in 2013, when star signing Giulio Migliaccio rode through the centre of the festival with several other ultras on top of an Atalanta-branded armoured tank. The Atalantini used the tank to drive over two cars painted in the colours of rivals Brescia and AS Roma:
They help to create one of the most heated atmospheres in all of Italian Football
Ultimately, the Stadia Atleti Azzuri d’Italia will provide you with a raw and genuine representation of Italian football, and it’s due in no small part to the Atalanta Ultras. Yes, there are some things to be mindful of if you’re visiting Bergamo to see Atalanta BC play, but all things considered…
It’s worth the trip from Milan
In short, it’s worth making the journey from Milan to Bergamo if you have a chance to see an Atalanta B.C. match on your next trip through Italy.
Find Atalanta BC tickets
For more information or for tickets to Atalanta B.C. games at Stadia Atleti Azzuri d’Italia (or Gewiss Stadium), check out our venue page here.
- We’ll save you the Wikipedia search: It’s “any choreography displayed by fans in the stands”
