Great support

1500 vociferous Sturm fans in Bergamo

Sturm's fan block in the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo(Bild: Volker Silli)

Storm on Bergamo! Before the clash in the "league phase" of the Champions League on Tuesday (kick-off: 18.45) at Atalanta, the Graz fans are warming up in the sunshine in the city north-east of Milan. The support for Jürgen Säumel's squad in the first competitive match of the year is remarkable.

In the 2023 Europa League, 800 Sturm fans had stood in the pouring rain for the first clash with Atalanta in the 0:1 draw in Lombardy because the Gewiss Stadium was being renovated and the guest sector was not covered. But it wasn't just because the sun was shining during the day that everything was tip-top in Bergamo this time: the club-owned arena has been ready since September 2024, the spectator capacity has been increased to 24,950, which is why the Sturm ticket contingent has also been increased: "Our sector alone is sold out at 1,300," said business boss Thomas Tebbich, beaming about the great support at the last away match in the league phase of the Champions League.

The Sturm fans in the center of Bergamo.(Bild: Volker Silli)

The Sturm fans under the Italian flag.(Bild: Volker Silli)

The fans traveled to Italy in a variety of ways: The hard core rolled in from Austria in six buses from two o'clock in the morning. Some came by plane, some had already been in Milan days before, some did not shy away from the six-hour drive. In preparation for the match, a small tent city had been set up in Bergamo near the main train station, where the supporters were able to get in the mood for the match with some refreshments under the watchful eyes of the police.

Many Sturm fans were already in the picturesque upper town of the 120,000-inhabitant metropolis in the morning, where many a candle was lit in the countless churches for a successful match day.