Lecce Heart in honor of Fiorita: 1-1 in Bergamo. Karlsson is answered by Retegui

Bergamo, 27 April 2025 - The Lecce honors the memory of Graziano in the best possible way Fiorita. The Salentini, with great pride and despite the controversy over a match played before the funeral, snatch a point from Bergamo and go up to two points over Empoli and Venice. With a white shirt, in open controversy against the Lega Calcio, the team of Giampaolo He played a match of great sacrifice, taking the lead in the first half with a penalty Karlsson and only capitulating in the second half due to another penalty, this time Retegui, and then resisted the assaults of the Goddess in the final. For Gasperini's team, a wasted opportunity to maintain the margin on their Champions League rivals, who have all won while the last to play will be Bologna in Udine.

White shirt and penalty by Karlsson

Lecce, shocked by the death of physiotherapist Graziano Fiorita, as a sign of protest, he decides to play in a white shirt without logos, without sponsors and with the writing 'no value, no color'. The Salento team did not want to take to the field, but they were forced to do so in order to avoid a penalty point and a forfeit defeat. Atalanta he gathers around the pain of his opponents with a bunch of flowers amid the applause of Gewiss, while Lecce is united in front of Graziano's shirt stretched out on the pitch. Moments of extreme emotion. Despite everything, the game continues. Giampaolo is also without Kristovic suspended and it's up to Rebic, while Gasp relies on Lookman and Pasalic to support ReteguiThe first chance is for Atalanta who in the 6th minute makes their presence felt with a header Pasalic on a cross from Zappacosta: central ball blocked by Falcone. It is obviously Atalanta who are making the game, thanks to their greater quality, and in the 10th minute an insistent action is vented with a cross from Zappacosta who Lookman fails to tame the melee. The home team has possession, but there are no big chances in the first twenty minutes and Lecce seems to be holding the field well. The Salento team produces a buzzer in the 23rd minute. Directly from Falcone's throw-in, there is Rebic's header for Coulibaly which is walled up by Carnesecchi. Lecce dangerous, always on the vertical for Rebic, who forces the goalkeeper to come out, then the ball reaches Karlsson which from 35 meters finds the deflection of Carnesecchi. However, we stop for a long check that ends with the call for an on field review for the referee La Penna, who has to check a hand touch by Hien on the previous action. The arm is wide on the aerial deviation of baschirotto: penalty. From the spot it goes Karlsson who sealed the lead in the 30th minute. Atalanta reacted in the 35th minute, breaking through on the left where Lookman triggered the strike Pasalic: deviation of Falcone. The Goddess is pressing and often tries to find the insertions of the full-backs at the second post; this time Zappacosta crosses back for Bellanova, but there is not the right coordination to shoot accurately on goal. The last assaults of the first half are crashed by Falcone, good at rejecting first a left-footed shot from Lookman and immediately after a right-footed shot from Zappacosta.

Retegui hits, then Lecce holds on

Gasp changes at half time and chooses Square for Bellanova, to have some crosses and one-on-ones from the right. The home team starts with aggression and intensity to regain control of the result, and from the right the new arrival stands out for some quality plays, but in general there are too many errors in the finishing phase and Lecce can defend themselves with order. The guests, on the other hand, sensationally waste the doubling in the 56th minute: depth by Gallo for Coulibaly, good at assisting Pierotti who fires a right-footed shot on the outside of the net almost into an empty net. Gasperini goes for another substitution, this time it's Ruggeri's turn to put a left-footed man as a left-handed wing-back. Not much happens and the Goddess has less rhythm than at the beginning and so another quality man is needed and the choice falls on The Ketelaere in place of Pasalic. The Salentini defend low, but with great rigor and tend to concede little to an Atalanta that is too composed to create danger. An episode is needed, he unleashes it Square that drunk on fakes Karlsson: touch on the left leg and penalty. It's Retegui to make the score even in the 69th minute. Giampaolo immediately recalls Karlsson to the bench and opts for Helgason. Atalanta regains energy and once again Retegui comes close to taking the lead shortly after with an aerial leap on a cross from Zappacosta: it hits the post. Suddenly, Lecce is on the ropes and Ederson tries a shot from the edge but is deflected by Falcone, so Giampaolo brings in more fresh forces with Danilo Veiga to try to make the flank more fluid, while Gasp tries with Maldini e Samardzic for the last ten minutes. Final assaults for the Goddess who needs three points to blunt the comeback of all the rivals from behind (victories of Fiorentina, Roma, Juve and Milan): right-footed shot by Zappa costa that passes to the side. The guests close up, clog up the central spaces and leave only a few gaps on the wing, so Atalanta tries continuous overlaps but without success. The Nerazzurri force ends, but the last corner sees an incorrect pass from Lookman that goes wide. Lecce, in memory of Graziano Fiorita, takes home a very precious point for salvation that is worth two more on Venezia and Empoli. Atalanta instead rises to three more on Juve and five more on Bologna who play in Udine.