Lookman responds to Gasperini after penalty criticism
African Footballer of the Year, Ademola Lookman, has finally addressed Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini’s harsh criticism, revealing that he took the penalty in Tuesday’s Champions League loss to Club Brugge on the instruction of the designated taker.
In an emotional statement released on Wednesday, Lookman expressed his disappointment at being singled out by Gasperini, who had publicly criticized him after his penalty was saved in the 3-1 defeat, calling him “one of the worst penalty-takers I’ve ever seen.”
“It saddens me on a day like this to have to write this statement – most of all because of what we have achieved together as a team and as a city,” Lookman wrote on X.
“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.”
The Nigerian forward, who had been sidelined for six matches due to a knee injury, made an immediate impact after being introduced at halftime with Atalanta trailing 3-0, scoring within 42 seconds to spark hope of a comeback.
However, his missed penalty in the 61st minute led to Gasperini’s harsh criticism. Lookman contradicted the coach’s claims, stating, “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.”
The 27-year-old further revealed that he had faced numerous challenges during his time at Atalanta, writing, “In truth, I have dealt with many difficult moments during my time here – the majority of which I have never spoken about because, in my opinion, the team must always be protected and must come first. This makes what happened last night even more hurtful.”
Gasperini’s remarks have ignited widespread backlash, with many fans and journalists questioning his apparent double standards. The manager had not publicly criticized designated penalty taker Mateo Retegui, despite his two crucial misses earlier in the season, nor did he condemn captain Rafael Toloi’s reckless red card in the same match.
Paris-based Nigerian journalist Ojora Babatunde criticized the manager’s approach on X: “When your coach, who is supposed to shield and protect you from external criticism, starts criticizing you openly, then something is wrong.”
Another journalist, Pooja, defended Lookman, writing, “A win in seven games, struggling without him, and he returned from injury, scored a goal after 42 seconds, and missed a penalty – something that has happened to the biggest players in the world.
“Look at the nonsense Atalanta coach is saying about Ademola Lookman to the media. Someone who won him his first European trophy after years as a coach.”
Lookman’s penalty record last season further undermines Gasperini’s criticism, as he converted all three of his spot-kicks – a better success rate than Retegui, who has only scored two of four penalties this season, both of which proved costly in crucial matches.
Fans have drawn parallels between Lookman’s situation and that of Victor Osimhen at Napoli, where the Nigerian striker faced public ridicule from his club despite leading them to a historic Serie A title.
X user Mr_AyLee pointed out the inconsistency, writing, “Retegui missed a penalty against Arsenal and a last-minute sitter against Madrid, yet I didn’t see Gasperini publicly criticizing him. I really hope Lookman leaves Atalanta at the end of the season.”
Similarly, X user Tayo highlighted Gasperini’s treatment of Lookman compared to Toloi: “How can a coach degrade their player like this, one who won you a European Trophy after 61 years? The captain gets a red card for manhandling an opponent, and the coach behaves like this. The downfall has started for Atalanta.”
With 21 goal contributions in just 26 games this season, Lookman remains a crucial player for Atalanta, second only to Retegui in terms of attacking output. His hat-trick in last year’s Europa League final secured the club’s first-ever European trophy, yet he now finds himself at the center of controversy.
As speculation grows about Lookman’s future, many fans are calling for him to seek new opportunities. X user @Swaggzeez1 wrote, “This is insanely disrespectful to Lookman. He should just leave this club at the end of the season. I can see Osimhen’s situation all over again.”
The fallout from Gasperini’s comments has raised questions about Atalanta’s management and whether the club risks alienating a key player who has been instrumental to their recent success.
