Lookman and Gasperini: is a reconciliation impossible?
Heavily criticised by his manager after Atalanta's elimination, Ademola Lookman has responded on social media
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The affair continues to cause a stir in Italy. After Atalanta's elimination from the Champions League play-offs, Gian Piero Gasperini's comments about Ademola Lookman surprised plenty of people. With his side beaten 3-1 by Club Brugge at home in the second leg, the Italian coach hit out at the Nigeria international, blaming him for missing the penalty that could have made it 3-2 and given his team a lift for the final half-hour, with hypothetically 2 goals still needed to force extra time.
A criticism that went down badly
It was pointed criticism, as Lookman was not the designated penalty taker, and it did not go down well with the recent African Player of the Year at the CAF Awards. So much so that he responded in a long post to set out the facts and explain that it was his team-mate Mateo Retegui, currently the league's top scorer and the designated penalty taker, who handed him the ball so that he would take it. Did the Italian shirk the responsibility, or did he feel Lookman was more confident after his goal just 34 seconds after coming on? Either way, what followed is well known.
Read also: "Being singled out hurts me…" Lookman's response to Gasperini
In the Super Eagle's camp, it is not going down well. They feel he was unfairly attacked and made a scapegoat for Atalanta's elimination, given that he did not play the first leg (he had been out for three weeks with an injury) and only came on early in the second half of the second leg.
The club hierarchy steps in to put out the fire
With a chill setting in and a rift immediately opening up between Gasperini and Lookman, the club's board has tried to put out the fire before it spreads. In its Friday edition, La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Antonio Percassi, Atalanta's chairman, stepped in personally to calm things down. The chairman went to the club's training ground to address the whole squad. However, there reportedly has not yet been a meeting between Lookman and Gasperini to discuss these events.
Internally, according to information from Sport News Africa, the Nigerian has received support from several team-mates, who did not understand the manager's comments about him. All the more so as he did not push himself forward to take the penalty. That has sown some questions within the squad. It remains to be seen whether the chairman's address will be enough to dispel them. With La Dea in 3rd place in Serie A and still in the title race, there is a real fear that this episode could derail their momentum.
While it is still difficult for now to speak of a break between Gasperini and Lookman, this spat strengthens the case for a departure. The thinking in the player's camp is still to leave Atalanta in the summer transfer window. And the latest episode is unlikely to change his mind.