By Victor Kanayo
Following harsh criticism from Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini after he missed a penalty during a UEFA Champions League knockout clash against Club Brugge, Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman has responded.
Shortly after the match, which Atalanta lost 5-2 on aggregate, Coach Gasperini said, “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, he converts very few of them. [Mateo] Retegui and [Charles] 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.”
Reacting, Lookman took to social media to express his disappointment with Gasperini’s comments, which he felt were disrespectful and hurtful. He emphasised his commitment to the club and highlighted the difficult moments he has endured at Atalanta.
He said, “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 I’ll continue to do.”
The Nigerian forward, who had earlier scored Atalanta’s only goal in the match, missed a crucial penalty that could have given his side a chance to fight back.
The missed penalty proved costly, as Atalanta failed to overturn their deficit, resulting in their elimination from the competition.
