Why Atalanta and Eintracht Frankfurt have been strong friends for 26 years

Atalanta and Eintracht Frankfurt meet for the first time tonight in the Champions League, but a chance encounter in a train station has seen the clubs twinned in friendship for 26 years.

It kicks off at the Frankfurt Stadion at 20.00 GMT.

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from this game and Atletico Madrid vs. Inter on the Liveblog.

This is the first time the two clubs have officially played each other, although there were a couple of friendly encounters in Bergamo for the Trofeo Bortolotti in 2016 and 2022.

Nonetheless, it is an extremely special occasion, because the two sets of fans have been twinned since a chance encounter in January 2000.

A group of Atalanta ultras were travelling towards Treviso for a Serie B match when crossing paths with some Eintracht Frankfurt fans at a train station.

They got chatting and bonded so much over coffee that the Germans decided to change their plans and accompany their new friends to attend the game in Treviso.

Since then, they kept in touch, shared more mutual visits to cheer each other on in different matches, and have kept up this touching bond.

There were members of each set of supporters attending the Europa League Final triumphs for Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022 and Atalanta in 2024.

In February 2025, La Dea had a huge banner that read: ‘For 25 years pride in our fraternal bond: Bergamo and Frankfurt, united for eternity.’

They didn’t know it at the time, but they would get the chance to be united in the stands during a Champions League match just a few months later.