According to reports, three days before the scheduled match between Atalanta and Lecce, Graziano Fiorita, the 47-year-old physiotherapist of Lecce, suddenly passed away in the team’s hotel room where they were preparing for the game. The match was postponed, but only until Sunday, just 72 hours later.

Lecce protested this decision, and Atalanta fans supported them, but the match was ultimately played. Serie A refused to further postpone the game (despite Atalanta not being involved in European or Coppa Italia competitions), and the threat of a 3-0 forfeit for a club fighting to stay in the league was too severe.

Lecce’s response after confirming their travel was decisive: “We will participate in the match with trampled values, but with a plain white jersey that does not represent us, without colors, logos, or badges.” And that’s exactly what they did.

Lecce took the field wearing plain white jerseys with a black ribbon instead of the club badge—a simple white jersey with the message “Without values, without colors.” Before the match, amid applause from the stands, the players and coaching staff paid tribute to Graziano Fiorita along the touchline, not in the center circle. They remained there during the minute of silence for Pope Francis, despite the referee’s invitation to move to the center, standing together in solidarity.

This powerful image of protest quickly spread worldwide. The match eventually ended in a 1-1 draw.