‘He made Atalanta great’, Gasperini backs Lookman

Atalanta head coach, Gian Piero Gasperini, has backed Ademola Lookman to captain the team in future, as the Nigeria international was a delight to watch in his side’s 4-0 win over Tiago Motta’s Juventus.

The pair fell out after Atalanta were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League play-offs stage against Club Brugge.

Lookman missed a penalty kick in the home tie, and Gasperini labelled him the worst penalty taker he’s seen, but the reigning African Footballer of the Year didn’t appreciate the statement.

Nonetheless, the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) silver medallist has gone about his business quietly and scored a brilliant goal on Sunday night to take Atalanta third in the Serie A.

Lookman was taken off after 80 minutes at the Allianz Arena in Turin, and on the touchline, hugged Gasperini, meaning the pair have made up for their debacle after the penalty incident.

“When a group spends 300 days together in a year, people can have different views. Lookman became a fantastic player when he improved his perception of the team.

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“He often thought on an individual level, he made Atalanta great and Atalanta made him great. He wasn’t a bad guy, but he mostly focused on the individual. I am convinced that at the end of the year he will wear the captain’s armband so he will have Atalanta on his skin,” the 67-year-old said of Lookman in Football Italia after the game.

La Dea played one of the best games of the season on Sunday, when they demolished Juventus 4-0 at Allianz Arena.

Lookman was heavily in the rout, as he scored the fourth goal of the game, but he could have even scored more goals if not for Michele Di Gregorio’s brilliance and the woodwork.

Lookman’s goal took him to 18 goals and seven assists in 31 appearances across all competitions. He has already surpassed last season’s goal returns, and he looks set for more before the campaign ends in May.

Atalanta are now third on the Serie A table, three points behind league leaders, Inter Milan. Lookman has now scored 18 goals and provided six assists in all competitions for La Dea this season.