The number 88 symbolizes the letter 'H', the 8th letter of the alphabet that was used by the Nazis as a salute to honor Adolf Hitler.
Mario Pasalic can no longer wear the jersey with number 88 at Atalanta and Dzhixhi Buffon would not have the opportunity to go down to the field with the number he used to wear at Parma. The Minister of the Interior of Italy, Mateo Piantedozi, has decided to ban the number 88 on football players' jerseys in the new season. A decision that comes in the wake of the fight against anti-Semitism.
The number 88 was actually used by neo-Nazi groups for Adolf Hitler's anthem (H is the 8th letter of the alphabet and 88 stands for HH, short for "Heil Hitler": the Nazi salute). The Ministry of the Interior, in cooperation with football leaders, decided to remove 88 from Serie A.
Last season, this number was worn by Pasalic of Atalanta and Toma Basic of Lazio. Mateusz Praszelik, Bufon and Marko Borielo have also held it before.