BERGAMO, Italy (AP) — Atalanta winger Ademola Lookman struck back on Wednesday at coach Gian Piero Gasperini’s comments over his failure to score from the spot against Club Brugge in the Champions League.
Brugge eliminated Atalanta with a 3-1 win in Bergamo on Tuesday for a 5-2 aggregate victory to reach the round of 16.
Returning from injury, Lookman came on as haftime substitute and scored just seconds after the restart to unleash hopes of a miracle. Atalanta needed three more goals to level the tie but Simon Mignolet saved Lookman’s penalty in the 61st as those hopes gradually faded.
Gasperini made it clear who to blame.
“Lookman was not supposed to take that penalty, he is one of the worst penalty takers I’ve ever seen,” he said after the match.
“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.”
Lookman said on X such comments were “deeply disrespectful.”
“It saddens me on a day like this to have a to write this statement — most of all because of what we have achieved together as a team and as a city,” he said.
“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,” he added.
“Life’s about challenges and turning pain into power which I’ll continue to do.”
Lookman made news by scoring a hat trick in the Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen last season, ending Leverkusen’s bid to complete the entire season unbeaten.
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The Associated Press
