Ademola Lookman has publicly responded to criticism from Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini following the team’s 5-2 aggregate loss to Club Brugge in the UEFA Champions League.
Gasperini singled out Lookman for taking a penalty, which he missed, in the tie’s second leg.
Lookman, the reigning Atalanta player of the season and 2024 Africa Player of the Year, came on as a substitute, with Atalanta trailing 3-0. He scored 35 seconds into the second half but missed a penalty in the 61st minute that could have sparked an unlikely comeback.
Gasperini expressed his displeasure with Lookman’s decision to take the penalty in a post-match press conference, stating that Lookman was not the designated penalty taker and had a “terrible record” even in training.
“Lookman was not supposed to take that penalty; he is one of the worst penalty takers I’ve ever seen,” Gasperini said in an after-match press conference.
“He has a frankly terrible record; even in training, he converts very few of them. [Mateo] Retegui and [Charles] De Ketelaere were there, but Lookman, in a moment of enthusiasm after scoring, decided to take the ball, and that was a gesture I did not appreciate at all.”
In response, Lookman took to social media to express his disappointment with Gasperini’s comments, which he felt were disrespectful and hurtful. He emphasised his commitment to the club and highlighted the difficult moments he endured at Atalanta.
“It saddens me on a day like this to have to write this statement—most of all because of what we have achieved together as a team and as a city.
“Being singled out in the manner I have been not only hurts but feels deeply disrespectful, not least because of the immense hard work and commitment I have always put in each and every day to help bring success to this club and to the incredible fans of Bergamo.
“In truth, I have dealt with many difficult moments during my time here—the majority of which I have never spoken about—because, in my opinion, the team must always be protected and must come first.
“This makes what happened last night even more hurtful. Along with our incredible fans, we as a team are hurting too with last night’s result. During the match, the designated penalty taker instructed me to take the penalty and to support the team
“I took responsibility in the moment to do so. Life’s about challenges and turning pain into power, which I’ll continue to do,” he concluded cryptically.
This public disagreement between Lookman and Gasperini will fuel speculation about a potential summer exit for the Nigerian forward.
Despite the recent criticism, Lookman has been instrumental in Atalanta’s success this season. He led them to their first-ever European triumph last May, scoring all three goals against Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League final.
This season, he has scored 15 goals and provided six assists in 28 appearances across all competitions. Atalanta currently sits third in Serie A, five points behind leaders Napoli.
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