Ademola Lookman has hit back at his own Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini, accusing the Atalanta boss of making “deeply disrespectful” comments following their Champions League exit.
Lookman made his return from injury as a half-time substitute in Atalanta’s Champions League play-off second leg with Club Brugge. The winger came on when they were 5-1 down on aggregate but took just 36 seconds to pull a goal back.
But the flashpoint of the game came on the hour mark as Atalanta were awarded a penalty and Lookman appeared to take the ball away from first-choice options Charles De Ketelaere and Mateo Retegui.
The winger missed the spot kick, with Gasperini then calling him “one of the worst penalty takers I’ve ever seen” after the game.
Responding to those comments, Lookman released the following statement on Wednesday: “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 l’ll continue to do.”
What Gasperini said…
“Lookman was not supposed to take that penalty, he is one of the worst penalty takers I’ve ever seen,” Gasperini said after the 5-2 aggregate defeat.
“He has a frankly terrible record even in training, he converts very few of them. Retegui and 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.”
More to follow…
This is a breaking news story that is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh this page for the latest updates.
Sky Sports brings you live updates as they happen. Get breaking sports news, analysis, exclusive interviews, replays and highlights.
Sky Sports is your trusted source for breaking sports news headlines and live updates. Watch live coverage of your favourite sports: Football, F1, Boxing, Cricket, Golf, Tennis, Rugby League, Rugby Union, NFL, Darts, Netball and get the latest transfers news, results, scores and more.
Visit skysports.com or the Sky Sports App for all the breaking sports news headlines. You can receive push notifications from the Sky Sports app for the latest news from your favourite sports, you can follow @SkySportsNews on X to get the latest updates and you can also now follow Sky Sports’ WhatsApp channel.
