Scandal, controversy, suspensions and dropped points.....and that was all before a ball was kicked! Atalanta came up as Serie B Champions under a dark cloud which seemed to have no silver lining. The club were embroiled in the latest match-fixing and betting scandal to rock Italian football. A six point deduction and a three year suspension to their iconic captain, Cristiano Doni was their punishment. They were installed as firm favourites to return to the second tier. However, all the negativity surrounding the club seemed only to serve as motivation for Stefano Colantuono and his squad much like the way the Italian national team were seemingly galvanised by the storm surrounding them at the 2006 World Cup.
Atalanta defied the critics and immediately wiped out their deficit with three wins from their opening four matches and just one defeat in their first eight. In fact they only lost twice before the turn of the year and remained unbeaten at home meaning they would've been in the European places if not for the deduction.
Colantuono seemed to instil a siege mentally in his players. Thomas Manfredini, who had also been suspended for 3 years initially, had his ban overturned and he proved a rock at the back for a Atalanta team that were extremely difficult to break down, especially at home. They also found something special at the other end of the pitch with German Denis, on loan from Udinese. "El Tanque" tore through defences in the first half of the season with his physical style and clinical finshing, often leading the goal scoring charts. He was flanked by two exciting wide players, Ezequiel Schelotto and Maxi Moralez, both signed in the summer and both provided excellent service to the Argentine striker. Then there was "the Pirlo of Bergamo", Luca Cigarini, helping things tick over in the engine room of the midfield. Colantuono succeeded in putting together a a group of players that complimented each other.
Naturally there was a dip for the team just after the winter break. Injuries and suspensions began to take their toll and Denis' goals, on which they had relied on, began to dry up. Nevertheless, they stayed resolute at the back and soon regained form, going eight matches undefeated in February and March - a run which virtually secured their safety with time to spare. A quite remarkable achievement considering where they began.
