Nigeria and Atalanta forward, Ademola Lookman has addressed head coach Gian Piero Gasperini’s public criticism following his missed penalty in their UEFA Europa League clash against Club Brugge.
Lookman, who recently returned from injury, was asked to take a crucial penalty but failed to convert. Atalanta eventually lost 3-1 on the night, crashing out of the competition with a 5-2 aggregate defeat.
After the match, Gasperini openly criticized the Super Eagles star for taking the penalty instead of letting teammates Mateo Retegui or Charles De Ketelaere step up.
“Ademola Lookman is one of the worst penalty takers I’ve ever seen,” Gasperini said. “He wanted to take the penalty after scoring a goal. He took the ball despite Retegui and De Ketelaere being available… I didn’t like what Lookman did.”
In response, Lookman issued a statement on social media, expressing disappointment at being publicly singled out. “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,” Lookman wrote.
The Nigerian international also clarified that he did not take the penalty of his own accord but was instructed to do so by the designated taker. “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 added.
Lookman has been one of Atalanta’s standout performers this season, famously scoring a hat-trick in the UEFA Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen to secure the club’s first-ever European title. His performances earned him a 14th-place finish in the Ballon d’Or rankings and the 2024 CAF Player of the Year award.
With the summer transfer window approaching, Gasperini’s comments could further fuel speculation about Lookman’s future. The Nigerian forward was linked with Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United in the January transfer window, and this latest controversy may push him closer to an exit.
