Ademola Lookman’s return from injury was dramatic, but not in the way he hoped. The Nigerian winger scored just 42 seconds after coming on for Atalanta in their Champions League clash against Club Brugge. However, his night turned sour when he missed a crucial penalty, prompting a scathing reaction from manager Gian Piero Gasperini.
Atalanta were already in trouble, trailing 3-0 at halftime in the second leg of their round-of-16 playoff. Lookman’s early goal in the second half sparked hope, but his failure from the spot allowed Brugge to seal a 3-1 win and a 5-2 aggregate victory. Gasperini was blunt in his assessment, revealing Lookman was never meant to take the penalty.
“Lookman was not supposed to take that penalty, he is one of the worst penalty takers I’ve ever seen,” Gasperini told reporters. “He has a frankly terrible record even in training. Retegui and De Ketelaere were supposed to take it, but Lookman, in a moment of enthusiasm, decided to grab the ball. That was a gesture I did not appreciate at all.”
Lookman’s penalty struggles are well known. Fulham fans still remember his infamous Panenka attempt against West Ham in 2020, a miss that cost his team valuable points. Despite scoring a penalty for Atalanta earlier this season, Gasperini’s comments suggest the manager has little faith in his spot-kick abilities.
The loss ends Atalanta’s European campaign, but Lookman still made history. His goal against Brugge made him the first Nigerian to score in four consecutive Champions League matches. While that achievement should have been a highlight, Gasperini’s criticism has overshadowed it.
Nigerian fans have rallied behind Lookman, slamming Gasperini’s public rebuke on social media. Many believe the manager’s harsh words were unnecessary, especially given Lookman’s impact on the game.
Atalanta must now regroup with their focus shifting to Serie A. They sit third in the table, five points behind leaders Napoli. With the Champions League dream over, their attention turns to Sunday’s clash against Empoli, where they will look to keep their title ambitions alive.
