Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman has hit back at Atalanta head coach Gian Piero Gasperini after the coach labeled him “one of the worst penalty takers I’ve ever seen” following the team’s elimination from the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday.
Atalanta needed to overcome a 2-1 deficit to Club Brugge in the second leg of their UCL play-off but were beaten 3-1 at home, exiting the competition with a 5-2 aggregate loss. Lookman did score shortly after coming on as a substitute, but he later missed a penalty, a moment that Gasperini took aim at.
Gasperini criticized Lookman for stepping up to take the spot kick, stating, “Lookman was not supposed to take that penalty, he is one of the worst penalty takers I’ve ever seen. He has a frankly terrible record even in training, converting 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.”
Lookman responded on his X (formerly Twitter) account, expressing his disappointment with Gasperini’s comments and calling them “deeply disrespectful.”
“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,” Lookman wrote on Wednesday. “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.”
The Nigerian international also hinted at ongoing challenges during his time at Atalanta, stating, “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.”
Lookman clarified his actions in the game, revealing that the designated penalty taker had instructed him to take the penalty: “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.”
He concluded with a resilient message: “Life’s about challenges and turning pain into power, which I’ll continue to do.”
