Bergamo Mayor Giorgio Gori said
Thursday that the northern Italian city was proud of Atalanta
after their stunning Champions League run ended at the
quarter-final stage with a cruel 2-1 defeat to Paris
Saint-Germain on Wednesday.
The team's heroics in their debut campaign in Europe's premier
club competition took on a special significance as Bergamo and
the surrounding province were among the areas hardest hit in
Italy by the coronavirus.
They were just minutes away from reaching the last four after
Mario Pašalić put them ahead in the first half.
But they were denied at the death, with the wealthy Parisian
side progressing thanks to late goals by Marquinhos and Eric
Maxim Choupo-Moting.
"There is nothing to say, except that we are very proud of this
team," Gori said via Twitter.
"As for the rest, we suffer in silence".
The Bergamo side had looked hopelessly out of their depth when
they lost their first three games in the group stage of the
Champions League.
But they staged a remarkable turnaround, first holding English
giants Manchester City to a draw and them winning their last two
group games to reach the knockout rounds.
Having got that far, they easily knocked out Valencia in the
last 16 to make the quarter.finals.
Atalanta were Italy's last representative in the Champions
League.
Inter have reached the semi-finals of the Europa League.
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