Ademola Lookman Fires Back Over Penalty Criticism

By: Gyang Dakwo

Ademola Lookman has hit back at Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini after the coach publicly criticized the Nigerian forward’s penalty technique following their UEFA Champions League exit. Lookman, 27, described Gasperini’s comments as “deeply disrespectful” in a strongly-worded social media post, escalating tensions between the player and his manager.

Atalanta’s Champions League campaign came to a shocking end on Tuesday night as they were eliminated by Club Brugge in the play-offs, losing 5-2 on aggregate. After a 2-1 defeat in the first leg, Atalanta suffered a 3-1 loss at home in the second leg, despite Lookman scoring their only goal in the 46th minute. However, the forward’s missed penalty later in the match became a focal point of controversy.

Gasperini did not hold back in his post-match comments, calling Lookman “one of the worst penalty-takers I’ve ever seen” and claiming the player had no right to take the spot kick.

“Lookman was not supposed to take that penalty,” Gasperini said. “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. Retegui and De Ketelaere were there, but in a moment of enthusiasm after scoring, Lookman decided to take the ball, and that was a gesture I did not appreciate at all.”

Lookman, who has been a standout performer for Atalanta since joining in 2022, responded on Instagram, defending his actions and expressing his disappointment with Gasperini’s public criticism. The Nigerian forward, who scored a hat-trick in last season’s UEFA Europa League final and was shortlisted for the 2024 Ballon d’Or, insisted he was instructed to take the penalty by the designated taker.

“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. “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.”

He continued, “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 also addressed the penalty incident directly, stating, “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 public fallout between Lookman and Gasperini has raised questions about the forward’s future at Atalanta, as well as the team’s dynamics heading into the rest of the Serie A season. Fans have rallied behind Lookman, praising his contributions to the club and expressing support for his response to the criticism.

As Atalanta looks to regroup after their Champions League disappointment, the focus will now shift to how Gasperini and Lookman navigate this tense situation and whether the club can maintain unity in their pursuit of domestic and European success.