Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman has broken his silence after being publicly criticized by coach Gian Piero Gasperini for missing a penalty in their 3-1 loss to Club Brugge in the UEFA Champions League.
Gasperini’s scathing remark—calling Lookman “one of the worst penalty takers I have ever seen”—sparked widespread reactions, but the Nigerian international has responded with dignity and defiance.
“It saddens me on a day like this to have to write this statement,” Lookman said, reflecting on the backlash.
“Being singled out in the manner I have been not only hurts but feels deeply disrespectful, not least because of the immense hard work and commitment I have always put in each and every day to help bring success to this club and to the incredible fans of Bergamo.”
Lookman, who had reignited Atalanta’s hopes by scoring just after halftime, saw his penalty saved by Simon Mignolet, allowing Brugge to regain control of the tie and secure a 5-2 aggregate victory.
But while Gasperini slammed the decision for Lookman to take the spot-kick, the forward explained that he had acted in the moment to help the team.
“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,” Lookman revealed.
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The Italian manager, however, showed no sympathy. “Lookman was not supposed to take that penalty, he is one of the worst penalty takers I’ve ever seen,” Gasperini stated bluntly. “He has a frankly terrible record even in training, he converts very few of them.”
Despite the disappointment, Lookman says he remains resilient, stressing that setbacks are part of football and personal growth. “Life’s about challenges and turning pain into power, which I’ll continue to do,” he concluded.
With Atalanta now eliminated from the Champions League, all eyes will be on how the club, and Lookman himself, respond to this turbulent moment in their season.
Read the Atalanta forward’s full statement below:
