After the lockdown, the liberation. The club that defied the odds most poignantly in elite European football this season gave a city that almost broke under the pandemic “something to smile about”.
That was how Atalanta’s manager, Gian Piero Gasperini, put it on Sunday, visibly moved as he heard Bergamo’s adopted anthem, ‘I’ll be reborn, you’ll be reborn” welcome the sport back to a largely empty Gewiss Stadium.
Gasperini was reassured to see one aspect of a Bergamo altered forever by the thousands of local lives lost to Covid-19 seems unchanged: Atalanta still have a special appetite to entertain. They had scored three goals by half-time in their 4-1 win over Sassuolo.
Outside the arena, there was some disapproval. A group of supporters gathered to chant ‘football without fans is not football’, a protest against the resumption of Serie A under its imperfect circumstances, all matches being played behind closed doors.
But in Bergamo, a handsome, prosperous corner of northern Italy, the need for caution around gatherings of people is not in debate.
The last 'home' match Atalanta played, when an estimated 43,000 travelled from the Bergamo region to Milan's San Siro – their borrowed home for European fixtures – to watch the underdogs of the Champions League thrash Valencia in February is now cited as a flashpoint for the contagion under which Bergamo buckled, with an estimated 6,000 fatalities across the city from Covid-19.
“Nobody here can forget the ambulance sirens that filled out streets,” said the Atalanta director Umberto Marino. “We spent three months living through something like a war.”
But Atalanta, whose overwhelming of Valencia has put them in the last eight of the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history, have their fairytale restored, a beacon again for most of their constituents.
They are on course to be in the same competition next season, too, at fourth in the Serie A table, six points ahead of Roma, and, three-and-a-half month pause or not, still in brilliant form.
When Duvan Zapata stopped to head in the fourth goal against Sassuolo, it took Atalanta’s tally of goals from their last four matches across competitions to 15.
Gasperini’s middle-budget, free-scoring swashbucklers are comfortably the most potent side in Italy’s top division, with their 74 goals from 26 games.
Which is why, beyond the emotions around Bergamo, and the goodwill towards the city from across Italy, there is a special anticipation about tonight’s visit by Lazio. The last seven encounters between these two clubs have produced 29 goals.
Lazio have also outscored the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus, and the Inter Milan of Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez this term, and since December have made themselves much the likeliest candidates to deprive Juve of a ninth successive scudetto. They need simply recover their pre-shutdown form, and get used to empty stadiums.
For Lazio the club, alas, the second part may not be too hard. Lazio are not new to behind-closed-doors football because the club have again and again failed to prevent a section of their support-base from bringing racist abuse into Italian and European stadiums, and been handed a series of bans. Theirs is a notoriety that persists.
They have a fine team, though, 20 years on from the last time Lazio lifted the Italian title, when Simone Inzaghi was a striker in his first season with the club. He is now emerging as an outstanding manager.
His task is to close a four point gap on Juventus over the next 12 matchdays (Juve have 11 matches left). His initial challenge is to refresh the instincts and rhythm Lazio were maintaining when Serie A closed down in March. At that point Inzaghi’s army were a juggernaut, 21 league matches unbeaten.
After 116 days without a competitive game, Inzaghi will need some stirring words. He could remind his players that their previous meeting with Atalanta was the launchpad for their thrilling tilt at the scudetto.
Back in October, Gasperini’s team travelled to Rome from Bergamo and were 3-0 up at half-time. Lazio had been run ragged. Inzaghi roused them in the dressing room. Final score: 3-3.
After that, Lazio won 11 on the trot, as striker Ciro Immobile soared towards his towering tally of 27 league goals so far. Since the comeback against Atalanta, Lazio have picked up 50 points from a possible 54.
“We felt we were onto something great,” said Inzaghi, “and of course there is a desire to pick things up from there, but we have seen, from watching other teams, it is hard when players have been sitting at home for so long.
“But there were more important things going on than football. All of us have been through a lot.”
Fight card
1. Featherweight 66kg: Ben Lucas (AUS) v Ibrahim Kendil (EGY)
2. Lightweight 70kg: Mohammed Kareem Aljnan (SYR) v Alphonse Besala (CMR)
3. Welterweight 77kg:Marcos Costa (BRA) v Abdelhakim Wahid (MAR)
4. Lightweight 70kg: Omar Ramadan (EGY) v Abdimitalipov Atabek (KGZ)
5. Featherweight 66kg: Ahmed Al Darmaki (UAE) v Kagimu Kigga (UGA)
6. Catchweight 85kg: Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) v Iuri Fraga (BRA)
7. Featherweight 66kg: Yousef Al Husani (UAE) v Mohamed Allam (EGY)
8. Catchweight 73kg: Mostafa Radi (PAL) v Ahmed Abdelraouf of Egypt (EGY)
9. Featherweight 66kg: Jaures Dea (CMR) v Andre Pinheiro (BRA)
10. Catchweight 90kg: Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)
Zayed Sustainability Prize
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WWE Evolution results
- Trish Stratus and Lita beat Alicia Fox and Mickie James in a tag match
- Nia Jax won a battle royal, eliminating Ember Moon last to win
- Toni Storm beat Io Shirai to win the Mae Young Classic
- Natalya, Sasha Banks and Bayley beat The Riott Squad in a six-woman tag match
- Shayna Baszler won the NXT Women’s title by defeating Kairi Sane
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- Ronda Rousey retained the Raw Women’s title by beating Nikki Bella
How it works
Booklava works on a subscription model. On signing up you receive a free book as part of a 30-day-trial period, after which you pay US$9.99 (Dh36.70) per month to gain access to a library of books and discounts of up to 30 per cent on selected titles. You can cancel your subscription at any time. For more details go to www.booklava.com
The years Ramadan fell in May
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
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Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
MATCH INFO
Quarter-finals
Saturday (all times UAE)
England v Australia, 11.15am
New Zealand v Ireland, 2.15pm
Sunday
Wales v France, 11.15am
Japan v South Africa, 2.15pm
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry
Price: base / as tested: Dh91,000 / Dh114,000
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 356Nm @ 4,700rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The National photo project
Chris Whiteoak, a photographer at The National, spent months taking some of Jacqui Allan's props around the UAE, positioning them perfectly in front of some of the country's most recognisable landmarks. He placed a pirate on Kite Beach, in front of the Burj Al Arab, the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland at the Burj Khalifa, and brought one of Allan's snails (Freddie, which represents her grandfather) to the Dubai Frame. In Abu Dhabi, a dinosaur went to Al Ain's Jebel Hafeet. And a flamingo was taken all the way to the Hatta Mountains. This special project suitably brings to life the quirky nature of Allan's prop shop (and Allan herself!).
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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