A primitive-looking sign made out of cardboard hangs in the window of the Barettino, a bar just a few streets down from AtalantaâÂÂs ground, the Atleti Azzurri dâÂÂItalia.
It bears a message scribbled in the local dialect, probably by the man who runs the joint, Claudio Galimberti, better known as âÂÂBociaâÂÂ, the shaggy-haired head of the clubâÂÂs group of ultrà. It reads: âÂÂPaura de nisù,â Fear of no one.
Ever since newly promoted Atalanta were seriously implicated in Italian footballâÂÂs latest betting scandal, a mood of defiance has swept through the Lombard town of Bergamo. Its proud and hard-working residents, distinguished by the findings of a recent study showing that only the people of Milan declare more income for tax purposes, continue to walk through the streets with crapa olta - their heads held high.
Around 4,000 marched in defence of their club on June 9 with the front line of protesters holding up a banner on which the slogan âÂÂget your hands off Atalantaâ was written. No one has been left indifferent by the situation. Bergamo after all is a one-club town. Just ask the mayor Franco Tentorio. His father Luigi was a player, a coach and later a director with the club.
ItâÂÂs enough to remember that only last November, AtalantaâÂÂs president and former player Antonio Percassi announced an initiative to send every newborn baby in the town a mini replica kit. With that in mind, is it any wonder so few Bergamaschi support any other team in Italy even considering the relative proximity of Milan and Inter? This is a family affair and thereby a matter of honour for Atalanta as their adopted son and captain Cristiano Doni is at the centre of match-fixing allegations, and not for the first time.
A decade ago, he along with 10 other players was accused of manipulating the result of a Coppa Italia tie between Atalanta and Pistoiese. Doni was eventually cleared and reminds spectators of the ruling every time he finds the back of the net with a provocative goal celebration, placing a hand under the chin to gesture that he too can walk with crapa olta.
After 10 seasons at the club with a brief parenthesis at Sampdoria and Mallorca in the middle, Atalanta supporters revere Doni. His rhetoric is typical of a talismanic figure. He needles local rivals and former club Brescia by saying: âÂÂWeâÂÂre back in our home, Serie A, while theyâÂÂre back in their home, Serie B,â and often talks of blue and black blood running through his veins.
âÂÂThis is a really special shirt, almost magical,â he gushes. âÂÂPerhaps I could jokingly liken it to the costume that transformed Clark Kent into Superman.â DoniâÂÂs acts of heroism include becoming AtalantaâÂÂs all-time top scorer with 103 goals between Serie A and B, a remarkable achievement for a midfielder, and though Roman by birth, he was made an honorary citizen of Bergamo in 2008.
Percassi has repeatedly said, with a finger on the populist pulse, that Doni has a future at the club once his playing days are over, even going so far as to suggest: âÂÂHe would be the ideal president.âÂÂ
All of which makes the very idea Doni has in any way wronged Atalanta inconceivable to the fans.
One told La Repubblica: âÂÂI donâÂÂt believe it⦠ItâÂÂs not our thing. Because Doni is Bergamasco, I swear⦠He canâÂÂt have stolen. He couldnâÂÂt have, could he?âÂÂ
His coach Stefano Colantuono wonâÂÂt accept the accusations either. âÂÂCristiano would never do anything to hurt Atalanta,â he insisted.
However, on Tuesday, Doni along with 25 others including his teammate, the defender, Thomas Manfredini were ordered by the FIGCâÂÂs chief prosecutor Stefano Palazzi to appear before a disciplinary commission to be held next week. He faces a three-year ban, which if imposed would almost certainly bring about the 38-year-oldâÂÂs retirement.
Fears that AtalantaâÂÂs promotion would be revoked have been played down with the latest reports speculating that they will start the season with a seven-point penalty.
Under scrutiny are two matches from last March. The first a 1-1 draw at Ascoli with their defender Vittorio Micolucci asserting that âÂÂbefore the game Manfredini said to me: âÂÂOh come on Vitto, what do you say, today letâÂÂs draw, itâÂÂs better for both of us?âÂÂâ The second came a week later at home to Piacenza (video above), with abnormal betting patterns raising alarm bells after a suspicious amount of money was staked on at least three goals being scored in the first half. Sure enough, thatâÂÂs how it happened.
Doni scored two soft penalties, the first called for hand-ball on Damiano Zenoni, the second for an avoidable challenge made by another player under investigation, Carlo Gervasoni, on the Atalanta striker Francesco Ruopolo who would get his sideâÂÂs third just before the interval with a close range finish at the far post.
The prosecution alleges that a fix had been arranged with wiretaps appearing to indicate that Doni and Gervasoni were contacted by mediators acting on the behalf of one group in the betting ring.
In DoniâÂÂs case, this was apparently Nicola Santoni, a former goalkeeping coach at Ravenna and someone he admitted to knowing in an interview with La Repubblica. It is claimed Santoni bet â¬30,000 on Atalanta beating Piacenza in the first half and by full time. He was also overheard on the wire the day before the game telling Gianfranco Parlato, a former player caught up in the scandal, âÂÂI have seen my manâ¦â SantoniâÂÂs explanations when presented with the evidence were found to be unconvincing.
The town of Bergamo, meanwhile, continues to rally behind Doni who claims to have been made a scapegoat. âÂÂItâÂÂs an ugly story even if the things that I have read in the papers seem very vague,â the mayor sighed. âÂÂUp until now the wiretaps that have emerged on Doni and the club are third hand, between a friend and the friend of a friend,â added Daniele Belotti, a town planner and ultrà. âÂÂWe demand certain proof. If they come up with it weâÂÂll make our own judgements. What has come out up to now is not enough to renounce Doni.âÂÂ
That of course is for the disciplinary commission to decide and as the so-called queen of the provinces embarks on a 51st season in Serie A, the question is will she do so without her king?
