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Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia

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Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia, known for sponsorship reasons as the Gewiss Stadium since July 2019 and as Stadio di Bergamo in UEFA competitions,[2] is a stadium in Bergamo, Italy. It is the home of Serie A club Atalanta and has a capacity of 24,950 seats. The field is 120 m (130 yd) long and 70 m (77 yd) wide. Atalanta has owned the stadium since 2017, having purchased it from the comune.

Gewiss Stadium
Stadio di Bergamo
The outside of the stadium in 2020.
Map
Former names
  • Stadio Mario Brumana (1928–1945)
  • Stadio Comunale
  • Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia
LocationBergamo, Italy
Coordinates45°42′32″N 9°40′51″E / 45.70889°N 9.68083°E / 45.70889; 9.68083
OwnerStadio Atalanta S.r.l.
Capacity24,950[1]
Field size105 m × 68 m (344 ft × 223 ft)
SurfaceFLexGrass Vertix hybrid grass
Construction
Broke ground1927
Opened23 December 1928
Renovated1949, 1984, 2015, 2018–2024
Tenants
Atalanta (1928–present)
AlbinoLeffe (2003–2019)
Italy national football team (selected matches)

Atalanta's youth team also sometimes plays competitive matches at the Gewiss Stadium, most recently the Supercoppa Primavera in 2021.[3] The stadium in Bergamo has also been used as a home ground by local club AlbinoLeffe from 2003 to 2019 (when it moved to Gorgonzola)—a period during which AlbinoLeffe spent nine years in Serie B and met Atalanta on several occasions[4][5][6]—and for various matches of the Italy national team.

History

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See also: History of Atalanta B.C.

Early years

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With the growth of football in the 1920s, Atalanta needed a new stadium with considerably larger capacity than its previous grounds.[7] The new stadium was constructed on Viale Margherita (now Viale Giulio Cesare),[8] replacing a hippodrome that once occupied the site.[9][10] Construction of the new stadium took one year; it opened in 1928 and cost 3.5 million lire.[7] The stadium was named after fascist Mario Brumana; this was common naming practice in fascist Italy.[9][7] The Brumana stadium was much larger than the Clementina field, having a seated capacity of 12,000 spectators in two tribune (side stands) and a larger field measuring 110 by 70 metres (360 by 230 ft);[11] it also featured a running track, as it was planned to form part of a larger complex. On 1 November 1928, Atalanta played its first unofficial match at the stadium (a 4–2 victory against Triestina); the stadium was then officially inaugurated on 23 December 1928, when Atalanta defeated La Dominante Genova 2–0 in front of over 14,000 spectators.[9]

After World War II, the stadium was renamed the Stadio Comunale ("Municipal Stadium"), as fascism no longer existed in Italy.[4] Expansion of the stadium began in the years following the war: the construction of a south stand (the Curva Sud) began in 1949,[10] and a second stand at the north end (the Curva Nord) followed during the 1960s, opening in 1971.[9][12] Later, in 1984, the running track was removed in order to expand the stadium's capacity upon Atalanta's return to Serie A after five years.[10] The club's first match in the 1984–85 Serie A, a 1–1 draw against Inter, had an attendance of over 43,000 spectators, a record attendance for the Stadio Comunale.[12][13][a]

 
The Gewiss Stadium in 2018
 
Atalanta's Gewiss Stadium in 2020

Modernization projects

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The Tribuna Giulio Cesare underwent modernization during the early 1990s, and the stadium was renamed the Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia ("Blue Athletes of Italy") in 1994.[7] In 1997, following the death of 22-year-old forward Federico Pisani in a car accident, the Curva Nord was nicknamed the Curva Pisani in his honor.[14] Similarly, the Curva Sud was nicknamed the Curva Morosini in 2012 to posthumously honor 25-year-old youth academy player Piermario Morosini,[15] who died following collapse on the field during a Serie B match between Pescara and Livorno.[16] In 2015, the stadium also expanded its side stands to offer pitchside views only several meters (feet) from the benches, a revolutionary feature of Italian stadiums at the time.[10][4] This phase of improvements also included improved bench facilities for players and the introduction of luxury boxes atop the grandstand.[17] New seating areas for disabled spectators were also added. At the same time, the press box has been lowered and moved towards the pitch. These improvements came with a reduction in overall capacity by around 3,000 seats. The club paid €2.6 million for the first phase of redevelopment.[18]

On 10 May 2017, Atalanta announced the acquisition of the stadium from the comune for 8.6 million euros,[10] becoming one of only four Serie A clubs to own its home stadium.[19][b] This acquisition allowed the club to authorize a renovation project for the stadium,[19] for like many Italian stadiums, much of its structure and facilities were considered outdated.[4][20] This renovation project was also necessary to upgrade the stadium to meet UEFA standards for hosting matches in UEFA competitions. Because the stadium was not ready at the time, Atalanta had to play its Europa League home matches at the Mapei Stadium in Reggio Emilia and its Champions League home matches in its debut season at San Siro in Milan.[21][22] Despite not playing in Bergamo, though thanks to the additional capacity of San Siro, Atalanta recorded its record home attendance of 44,236 during a Champions League knockout stage match against Valencia on 19 February 2020.[12][23]

Following a sponsorship agreement with electronics company Gewiss lasting at least until 2025, the stadium was renamed the Gewiss Stadium on 1 July 2019.[24][25] On 30 April 2019, a new phase of renovations began with the demolition of the Curva Nord "Federico Pisani" (North Stand).[26] On 6 October 2019, the renovated Curva Nord was inaugurated for Atalanta's home match against Lecce;[27] it has covered seating for over 9,000 spectators.[28] A year later, both side stands underwent modernization and the Curva Sud had temporary seats installed on the concrete.[29][30] These upgrades allowed Atalanta to play its Champions League matches in Bergamo starting in the 2020–21 season.[31][32] The final phase will feature a rebuilt Curva Sud (mirroring the rebuilt Curva Nord), which will increase the stadium's capacity to about 25,000, as well as construction of a new underground parking garage and other improvements to the stadium's surroundings.[33] It was originally expected to be completed in 2021, though was delayed until February or March 2022;[9][34] the start of construction was then further delayed to spring 2024, with expected completion in August of that year.[35] Atalanta will still be able to play its home matches at the Gewiss Stadium during construction.[33]

International matches

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The Gewiss Stadium has also hosted various international matches, though was not selected as a venue in any of the international tournaments hosted by Italy. The Italy national team's most recent match at the Gewiss Stadium was a 1–1 draw with the Netherlands in the UEFA Nations League on 14 October 2020.[36] Prior to this, Italy had not played an international match in Bergamo since 2006;[37] renovations to the stadium in 2019–2020 brought it up to UEFA standards.[32] This match was played in Bergamo as a homage to the city, as it was an early epicenter during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy.[36][37]

List of international matches

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Football at the 1964 Summer Olympics – Men's qualification
Italy  7–1Turkey  
Stadio Comunale, Bergamo
UEFA Euro 1988 qualifying
Italy  5–0Malta  
 Report
Stadio Comunale, Bergamo
Referee: Hadjistefanou (Cyprus)
Friendly
Italy  1–1Turkey  
 Report
Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia, Bergamo
Attendance: 21,334
Friendly
Ukraine  3–1Albania  
 Report
Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia, Bergamo
Attendance: 10,496
Friendly
Egypt  0–0Colombia  
Report
Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia, Bergamo
Attendance: 3,883
2020–21 UEFA Nations League A
Italy  1–1  Netherlands
 Report
Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia, Bergamo
Attendance: 623[38]

Awards

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The Gewiss Stadium received the Most Valuable Field award during the Serie A Awards in 2023.[39]

Notes

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  1. ^ The club's home attendance record was later broken in 2020, though that match was not played in Bergamo.[12]
  2. ^ The other three are Juventus, Sassuolo, and Udinese. All the remaining Serie A clubs play in municipally-owned stadiums.[19]

References

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  1. ^ "COMPLETATI I LAVORI ALLO STADIO DELL'ATALANTA, IMPIANTO SENZA BARRIERE GIOIELLO ARCHITETTONICO" (in Italian). 31 August 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  2. ^ "GEWISS STADIUM, LA NUOVA CASA DELL'ATALANTA". atalanta.it (in Italian). 30 April 2019. Archived from the original on 1 May 2019.
  3. ^ "Supercoppa Primavera al Gewiss Stadium il 21 gennaio" (in Italian). Tutto Atalanta. 13 January 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d "Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia: Atalanta's past, present, and future". The Gentleman Ultra. 24 June 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  5. ^ "Dalla fusione alla Serie A sfiorata, 15 anni di AlbinoLeffe" (in Italian). Sky Sport. 4 December 2016. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  6. ^ "Calcio, l'Albinoleffe giocherà a Gorgonzola. Entrate destinate a scopi sociali" (in Italian). Prima la Martesana. 25 May 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  7. ^ a b c d Canavesi, Carlo (17 October 2019). "112 anni di Atalanta: lo stadio di Bergamo". calcioatalanta.it (in Italian). Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  8. ^ "Gli Inizi". mondoatalanta.it (in Italian). Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  9. ^ a b c d e Salvatori, Thomas (2 June 2020). "Temples of The Cult: Atalanta's Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo". The Cult of Calcio. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  10. ^ a b c d e "Lo stadio di Bergamo: dagli anni '20 al futuro". L'Eco di Bergamo (in Italian). 10 May 2017. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  11. ^ "Stadio". atalanta.it (in Italian). Atalanta B.C. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  12. ^ a b c d Losapio 2020, section 336.
  13. ^ "Atalanta–Juventus, verso i 24mila spettatori: sarà record d'incassi?" (in Italian). BergamoNews. 8 May 2013. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  14. ^ "Federico Pisani, il talento dell'Atalanta scomparso a 22 anni in un incidente stradale". Goal.com. 12 August 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  15. ^ "Atalanta pay tribute to Piermario Morosini by renaming the Curva Sud". Forza Italian Football. 17 April 2012.
  16. ^ "Italy footballer Morosini dies after collapse on pitch". BBC News. 14 April 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
  17. ^ "L'Atalanta all'esordio nel "nuovo" stadio C'è chi potrà bisbigliare consigli a Reja" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. 29 August 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  18. ^ "Official: Atalanta buy stadium". football-italia.net. 8 August 2017. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  19. ^ a b c "Serie A side Atalanta agree deal to buy stadium". Reuters. 10 May 2017. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  20. ^ Hall, Richard (7 January 2014). "Atalanta: Serie A alternative club guide". The Guardian.
  21. ^ Gaby (14 September 2017). "Why are Atalanta playing in Reggio Emilia?". Football Italia. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  22. ^ "Atalanta to play at San Siro". Football Italia. 11 July 2019. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  23. ^ "Atalanta vs. Valencia – Football Match Summary". ESPN. 19 February 2020. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  24. ^ "Gewiss takes naming rights to Atalanta stadium". SportBusiness Sponsorship. 1 May 2019. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  25. ^ "Lo Stadio di Bergamo diventa Gewiss Stadium". atalanta.it (in Italian). 1 July 2019.
  26. ^ "Atalanta, il nuovo stadio nel 2021: al via la demolizione della Nord". Fox Sports (in Italian). 28 April 2019. Archived from the original on 13 July 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  27. ^ "Atalanta, dolce ritorno! Tris col Lecce nel rinnovato Gewiss Stadium". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). 6 October 2019.
  28. ^ "Atalanta, ecco la nuova Curva Nord: un gioiello 'british' da oltre 9.000 posti a sedere". Il Giorno (in Italian). 2 October 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  29. ^ "Lavori in Tribuna Ubi e Curva Sud: L'Atalanta vuol giocare la Champions a Bergamo" (in Italian). Bergamo News. 3 August 2020. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  30. ^ "Il Gewiss Stadium è pronto per l'Atalanta: restyling completato". Tuttosport (in Italian). 25 September 2020. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  31. ^ "Official: Atalanta Champions League games in Bergamo". Football Italia. 7 October 2020. Archived from the original on 28 October 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  32. ^ a b "Atalanta get green light for Champions League home games". Diario AS. 7 October 2020. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  33. ^ a b "Bergamo: Atalanta announces third phase of stadium revamp". StadiumDB.com. 2 May 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  34. ^ Maggi, Filippo (22 April 2021). "Tempistiche dei lavori per lo stadio: a giugno si parte in Curva Morosini". calcioatalanta.it (in Italian). Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  35. ^ Nikpalj, Dino (4 June 2022). "Stadio, l'Atalanta frena: la nuova curva Sud pronta ad agosto 2024". L'Eco di Bergamo (in Italian). Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  36. ^ a b "Italia–Olanda, applausi ai medici e sindaci al Gewiss Stadium di Bergamo". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). 14 October 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  37. ^ a b "Italia, la sfida contro l'Olanda al Gewiss: Azzurri a Bergamo 14 anni dopo" (in Italian). Sky Sport. 21 September 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  38. ^ "Italy vs. Netherlands" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 14 October 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  39. ^ @Atalanta_BC (16 June 2023). "𝗠𝗢𝗦𝗧 𝗩𝗔𝗟𝗨𝗔𝗕𝗟𝗘 𝗙𝗜𝗘𝗟𝗗 🥇 Il #Gewiss Stadium è il miglior terreno di gioco della @SerieA2022/23 🏟 👉 https://atalanta.it/news/il-gewiss-stadium-e-il-miglior-campo-2022-2023-della-serie-a/ The Gewiss Stadium playing surface has been named the best in @SerieA_EN in 2022/23 👏" (Tweet). Retrieved 19 August 2023 – via Twitter.

Bibliography

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