Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini has come under fire for publicly criticizing Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman after his missed penalty in the team’s 3-1 defeat to Club Brugge in the UEFA Champions League.
Lookman, who had just returned from injury, gave Atalanta a glimmer of hope by scoring their only goal early in the second half. However, his missed penalty, which was saved by Simon Mignolet, proved costly as Atalanta crashed out of the competition with a 5-2 aggregate loss.
In a post-match press conference, Gasperini didn’t hold back, calling Lookman “one of the worst penalty takers” he has ever seen. He went on to say that the 26-year-old should not have taken the spot-kick, insisting that Charles De Ketelaere or Mateo Retegui were better options.
“He has a terrible record, even in training, and hardly scores from the spot,” Gasperini stated. “He was excited after scoring, but that was a decision I did not appreciate.”
The coach’s remarks have sparked outrage among Nigerian fans, who have taken to social media to defend Lookman. Many believe the criticism was unfair, considering the forward’s overall performance and contribution to the team.
Adding to Atalanta’s woes, club captain Rafael Tolói was sent off for pushing an opponent during a heated moment in the match. Gasperini condemned the incident, calling it an unnecessary reaction.
With Atalanta currently sitting third in Serie A, their Champions League exit has been a bitter blow, making them the second Italian team to be eliminated after AC Milan’s loss to Feyenoord. However, the fallout from Gasperini’s comments about Lookman might be just as big a talking point in the coming days.
