Gasperini Speaks After Subbing Lookman Early During Atalanta’s Loss to Fiorentina
- Atalanta lost ground in the Italian Serie A title race after losing 1-0 away to Fiorentina on Sunday afternoon
- The Europa League holders are now three points behind Napoli in second and six behind Inter Milan in first
- Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has reflected on the result and subbing two attackers early in the second half
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Gian Piero Gasperini has reflected on Atalanta's 1-0 loss to Fiorentina, a result which dealt a big blow to their Italian Serie A title aspirations at a costly time.
Atalanta have been on a rise under the Italian manager, won the UEFA Europa League last season and are competing with Napoli and Inter Milan for the title this season.
Source: Getty Images
Ademola Lookman has been the difference maker for La Dea, scoring a hat trick in the Europa League final last season against unbeaten German treble winner Bayer Leverkusen.
The Super Eagles forward has been one of the team’s most influential players this season, and their poorest spell this season with one win in six games coincided with his injury.
Gasperini speaks after Atalanta's loss
Atalanta travelled to Florence to take on Fiorentina for their first game back after the first international break of 2025 and left the away ground with a 1-0 defeat.
According to Lega Serie A, Moise Kean's 45th-minute goal was enough for Fiorentina to inflict the defeat on the Bergamo-based club stopping them in their chase of the top of the table.
Gasperini started a forward duo of Mateo Retegui and Ademola Lookman but substituted both players in the 55th minute, raising questions as to why he hooked both.
The manager, speaking after the match, reflected on the team's loss and why his team struggled after the international break, particularly Mateo Retegui.
"You always have to look forward. We have 8 games to play, 5 at home, and we will play all our cards. We still have a great margin, but we have to change gear,” he said about the implication of the draw, as quoted by Napoli Magazine.
“Today we didn't have the dynamism, the legs and the speed to be able to cause problems for Fiorentina and play a game like we always have. A game that must be put away, moreover we did our part.
“In the first half, we did better, then we complicated it with that goal conceded in the 45th minute.”
Source: Getty Images
He claimed the team is focused on the final eight games and admitted that they could have gotten something out of the game if they had not conceded as his players were struggling.
“Today, there was a general difficulty, perhaps the most active was Retegui, who was coming back,” he said.
“You could see that we had very few possibilities of being dangerous. The goal conceded in that way put us in even more difficulty, but in the first half, it was more for Fiorentina than for us. Today, both were not at their best.”
Next for Gasperini's side is a home game against SS Lazio next week on Sunday at the Gewiss Stadium.
Lookman selects preferred club
Legit.ng reported that Lookman has selected his preferred club as he is set to leave Atalanta at the end of the season after three successful years at the Italian club.
The reigning African Footballer of the Year prefers a dream move to Spanish La Liga giant FC Barcelona despite strong interest from the Premier League.
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Source: Legit.ng
