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Atalanta BC’s head coach, Gian Piero Gasperini, has addressed recent remarks concerning forward Ademola Lookman’s penalty-taking abilities, emphasizing that his intentions were not to offend the player. This clarification comes in the wake of Atalanta’s 3-1 home defeat to Club Brugge in the UEFA Champions League, resulting in a 5-2 aggregate elimination.
During the post-match press conference, Gasperini described Lookman as “one of the worst penalty takers he has ever seen,” following the Nigerian international’s missed penalty in the second half. Lookman had earlier reduced the deficit by scoring shortly after being substituted in. The coach’s comments sparked controversy, leading Lookman to express his disappointment on social media, stating that he felt “deeply disrespectful” and “hurt” by the remarks.
In a subsequent press briefing, Gasperini sought to clarify his statements:
> “He had an extraordinary impact. My words were never meant to be offensive.”
He further elaborated on the situation, drawing parallels to a recent incident in another Serie A match:
> “Yesterday in Udinese-Lecce we had what could have been a drama, luckily there were guys who let it go. I would have liked a strong player like Lookman to have made … ‘. He can become a penalty taker … .”
Gasperini emphasized that his comments were intended to motivate and encourage Lookman to develop his skills further, rather than to criticize him personally.
In addition to addressing the controversy, Gasperini hinted at his future with Atalanta. Having been at the helm since 2016 and transforming the club into a consistent contender in both domestic and European competitions, he revealed that he does not plan to renew his contract beyond its current term, which runs until June 2025 with an option for an additional year.
> “I don’t have much time left to do this; maybe this is the last chance. As has been said, there’s a beginning and an end. At the end of the year, we’ll see whether to let the contract run out or stop earlier, but there definitely won’t be any continuity. There will be no further renewals or extensions.”
This announcement has prompted discussions about the club’s direction and leadership in the coming seasons. As Atalanta currently sits third in Serie A, the focus remains on securing a strong finish to the season and qualifying for European competitions.
