Atlanta Fans Surprise Former Player Ilicic with Emotional Visit

Written By Javed Baloch

[{"selector":"#anim-3a6f99aa-8360-449c-a3dd-d9262962d078","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-eca70783-8456-45b9-9fab-982c3773d26d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(106.18556%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Atalanta fans traveled to Maribor, Slovenia, to surprise their former player Josip Ilicic on Thursday, after he left the club over a year ago following a difficult period in his career where he struggled with mental health issues.

[{"selector":"#anim-c973e06a-89c2-4ddf-a28a-892de8c73671","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2c796e84-5b2a-4b8d-9759-ada51c5939c4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(106.18556%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The fans wanted to show their support for Ilicic and give him a proper farewell, even though he had already left the club, thus taking the detour.

[{"selector":"#anim-ed9b39d0-9131-439a-9ee3-85c6001d7c7c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f87fa157-7049-4d9b-a862-4573f24d4fd6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(106.18556%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] On Thursday morning ahead of the Europa League game, the fans arrived at NK Maribor, Ilicic's new club, where they were greeted by the player himself.

[{"selector":"#anim-c7febcd6-1be7-4da1-bdbe-4cc18ec01dff","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fe6e9553-9cef-423f-a3ed-ba879977138e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(106.18556%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The fans also gave Ilicic a banner that they had used at his farewell game in Bergamo last year.

[{"selector":"#anim-e06753e4-b0dc-401a-89c5-45ec8bcf8e69","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c509c108-e64c-4f4b-94e0-5d05cfa0b861","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(106.18556%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Ilicic confirmed that he will be at Atalanta's game against Sturm Graz later on Thursday in their Europa Leagu encounter.