Lecce wore plain white shirts without any logos on Sunday to protest Serie A’s decision to quickly reschedule their match against Atalanta, just days after the death of their team physiotherapist.

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Graziano Fiorita, who had been with Lecce for 26 years, passed away on Thursday at the age of 47 in Coccaglio, Brescia, where the team was preparing for Friday’s game in Bergamo.

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After Fiorita’s death, Lecce requested a postponement, which was granted. However, to the club’s frustration, Serie A rescheduled the match for Sunday instead, leaving them upset over the lack of time to properly mourn.

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"Graziano Fiorita died while on retreat with his team, far from his wife and four children, and still lies thousands of kilometres away from home, waiting for the magistrate to authorise his return," a Lecce statement said on Sunday.

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"This game should not have been held today, but all attempts to postpone it were cynically rejected.

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"We will play the game 'of trampled values' but we will do so wearing an anonymous white jersey that does not represent us, without colours, emblems, or logos. We will return to wearing our jerseys when Graziano returns home and is honoured, as he deserves, by his people."

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During Sunday’s 1-1 draw, Lecce players wore white shirts featuring a black ribbon and a message in black letters that translated to: "no value, no colour."

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The club, based in the southern Italian town of Lecce, announced in a statement that supporters will have the chance to pay their final respects to Graziano Fiorita on Tuesday at the Via del Mare stadium.

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