Atalanta Coach Laments Lookman’s Absence After Suffering Coppa Italia Defeat vs Bologna
- Italian Serie A outfit, Atalanta, suffered a defeat in their Coppa Italia quarter-final fixture against Bologna
- A second-half strike from striker Santiago Castro was enough to sink Gian Piero Gasperini's side
- The veteran Italian tactician lamented the absence of Ademola Lookman and a few key players in the aftermath of the defeat
Atalanta continued their run of underwhelming form since the injury to Ademola Lookman, with another defeat in the Coppa Italia fixture against Bologna.
The Bergamo side, who had started the season with impressive momentum, has seen a noticeable dip in form, particularly since the turn of the new year.
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Though it seemed the rough patch might soon end, Atalanta was dealt a further blow with Lookman’s injury. The Nigerian forward suffered a tendon injury in the buildup to the UEFA Champions League fixture against Barcelona, according to the club’s official reports.
Lookman, who has been a key player for La Dea in recent seasons, is expected to be sidelined for around a month.
In the wake of their recent defeat to Bologna, coach Gian Piero Gasperini subtly lamented the absence of the Nigerian striker, noting that his team lacked the usual clarity in attack.
Gasperini laments Lookman's absence
In the aftermath of the match, as reported by Tutto Atalanta, the 67-year-old manager reflected on his team's performance, stating:
"We created some opportunities, but it’s not a good period. Right now, we're not being very prolific, both in shooting and in the final pass.
It's probably a temporary situation, and once we recover Lookman... Posch and Maldini are already ready for Serie A. In just ten days, it feels like everything has fallen apart—we've lost six important players.
If you stand still for 15 days, you miss 3-4 games. But despite this, the lads are commendable. We're coming off an incredible stretch of matches. The players are disappointed because, over the years, we've been at the bottom. But among the evils, this is the lesser one."
Gasperini’s words seem to resonate with the sentiments of many Atalanta supporters, as the team's dip in form has coincided with a series of injuries that have plagued the squad.
The Bergamo club, now winless in their last three matches according to Fotmob data, will be hoping to bounce back and return to winning ways in their upcoming Serie A fixture against Hellas Verona—a team they convincingly defeated in the reverse fixture.
Napoli attempt to sign Lookman
Legit.ng in another report detailed that Italian Serie A side, Napoli, are looking to explore a deal for Lookman.
The Neapolitan outfit is still on the lookout for a fitting replacement for the departed Khvicha Kvaratskelia and is considering a deal for the Nigerian forward.
The 27-year-old Lookman’s current deal at Atalanta is expected to run out at the end of the 2025/26 season. President of the Bergamo club, Antonio Percassi, has stated that he would not hinder the Nigerian forward from departing the club, provided Lookman makes clear his desire to leave.
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Source: Legit.ng
