Juventus’ fifth-round meeting with Atalanta carried an uneasy pre-match moment at the Allianz Stadium, where a Serie A tribute to Sandro Mazzola was not observed by part of the home support.
The league had arranged a minute’s silence before every matchday fixture in recognition of the former Inter and Italy great. Both teams gathered around the centre circle before kick-off in Turin, but the Juventus curva responded differently.
Quick facts
- Serie A ordered a minute’s silence for Sandro Mazzola before all fifth-round matches.
- The tribute took place before Juventus versus Atalanta at the Allianz Stadium.
- Juventus ultras turned their backs during the silence and sang the names of Gaetano Scirea, Andrea Fortunato and Gianni Agnelli.
- The wider stadium applauded after the minute, while the curva did not join in.
Rather than remaining silent, the ultras facing the pitch turned away and loudly invoked Scirea, Fortunato and Agnelli, three figures whose memory remains deeply connected with Juventus.
The gesture was widely noticed online and drew anger from supporters who felt that a league-wide moment for one of Italian football’s leading names should have been respected, whatever the club rivalry involved.
Once the silence ended, applause spread around the stadium. The Juventus curva stayed apart from that response, leaving an uncomfortable note before a Sunday afternoon that was meant to open with recognition for a major figure from the game’s past.
