Atalanta Coach Gasperini Faces Backlash Over Harsh Comments Against Lookman After Penalty Miss
- Gian Piero Gasperini’s harsh comments on Ademola Lookman’s penalty-taking ability have been widely criticised
- Lookman scored 34 seconds after coming off the bench for Atalanta, setting a Champions League record
- The Nigerian forward missed a crucial penalty that could have revived Atalanta’s hopes of qualifying for the Round of 16
Atalanta’s UEFA Champions League campaign ended in disappointment after a 3-1 defeat to Club Brugge, but the biggest talking point of the night was manager Gian Piero Gasperini’s stinging criticism of Ademola Lookman.
The 27-year-old forward, who had been sidelined with a knee injury for several weeks, made an electric return to action.
Source: Getty Images
Just 34 seconds after coming off the bench in the second half, Lookman found the net, making Champions League history by scoring the fastest goal by a substitute from the start of the second half, TalkSPORT reports.
His goal momentarily reignited Atalanta’s hopes of overturning a 5-2 aggregate deficit, but those hopes were soon dashed.
Lookman misses a crucial penalty
Atalanta were handed a lifeline in the 61st minute when awarded a penalty and Lookman stepped up to take the spot-kick, hoping to reduce the deficit to 5-3.
However, his effort was denied by Club Brugge goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, who dived to his right to make a crucial save.
It was a painful moment for Lookman, as it marked his second high-profile penalty miss after his infamous failed Panenka attempt for Fulham against West Ham in 2020.
Atalanta struggled to create further chances, and their Champions League journey came to an end.
Gasperini’s harsh words spark outrage
Following the match, Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini did not hold back in his assessment of Lookman’s penalty decision, delivering a brutal verdict on the forward’s ability from the spot.
"Lookman wasn’t supposed to take the penalty. He's one of the worst penalty takers I’ve ever seen," Gasperini said. "Even in training, he has a very low percentage. He kicks them really badly. He took the ball despite Retegui and De Keteleare being available. I didn’t like what Lookman did."
Gasperini’s comments immediately sparked backlash, with fans and analysts criticising him for singling out Lookman in such a harsh manner.
Football community defends Lookman
Several journalists and pundits condemned Gasperini’s remarks, arguing that a missed penalty should not define Lookman’s contributions to the team.
CBS Sports analysts labelled Gasperini’s comments “disrespectful,” while fans took to social media to defend the reigning CAF Men’s Player of the Year, who has been a key player for Atalanta.
Despite the setback, Lookman remains one of the club’s top performers, and his resilience will be tested as he looks to bounce back stronger in the coming weeks.
Nigerians react after Gasperini’s criticism
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Nigerians reacted to Atalanta's head coach's criticism of Lookman after his penalty miss against Club Brugge.
Atalanta were eliminated from the UEFA Champions League after a 5-2 aggregate loss to Club Brugge, including a 3-1 home loss at their home stadium in Bergamo.
Atalanta coach Gasperini did not spare the Super Eagles forward during his post-match conference and brutally named him as the worst penalty-taker ever.
Proofreading by James, Ojo Adakole, journalist and copy editor at Legit.ng.
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Source: Legit.ng
