Igor Protti, Lecce’s wonderful gesture: many Bari fans applaud

The passing of Igor Protti has shaken the entire soccer world, including former teammates and even former opponents who crossed paths with the Rimini-born striker. Among them is Lecce, which faced him several times during heated Apulian derbies when he was a striker for Bari.

The Salento-based club took to social media to honor the striker, who passed away at age 58 due to an illness, with a heartfelt message: “U.S. Lecce joins the soccer world in mourning the passing of Igor Protti, a fair opponent and unforgettable protagonist of so many battles on the field. Our most sincere condolences go out to his family from the entire Giallorossi Club.”

Lecce’s gesture also drew praise from Bari fans: “Thank you, from Bari. You showed great class—something increasingly rare these days,” “Seeing the Bari jersey on this page is truly a beautiful thing—it gives me goosebumps with its sportsmanship. The Tsar deserved a post like this,” “How many times have I seen you in LECCE wearing the Bari jersey—a humble person, a champion, and so full of the will to live. Rest in peace, champion; in cases like this, colors should only unite us,” “Thank you from Bari. That’s not something to be taken for granted these days, when people often act like beasts rather than humans. Igor in Bari is something hard to explain. A legend both as a man and as a soccer player,” are just a few of the many comments of gratitude from the Biancorossi supporters.

Among those who paid tribute to Protti was Sandro Tovalieri, who had formed a golden attacking duo with the Rimini native right there at Bari. Their bond went far beyond the field, and after hearing the news of his passing, Tovalieri poured out his grief on social media: “Goodbye, my big brother—you’ve broken my heart. For me, this is a very sad day because you were, are, and always will be a model of life and of loyalty—both on and off the field. A part of me is leaving with you, but leaving with you is a beautiful, extraordinary, and unique thing. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for what we shared on and off the field; I promise you that a part of my heart will always and only be yours. Goodbye, champion and my brother.”