Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini has strongly criticized Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman, labeling him as one of the worst penalty takers after his crucial miss in their 3-1 Champions League defeat to Club Brugge, which confirmed their 5-2 aggregate elimination.
Lookman had earlier scored to give Atalanta hope, but his missed penalty—saved by Simon Mignolet—dashed any chance of a comeback.
Gasperini, visibly frustrated, insisted that Lookman should never have taken the spot-kick.
“Lookman was not supposed to take that penalty; he is one of the worst penalty takers I’ve ever seen,” Gasperini said.
“Even in training, his record is terrible. Retegui and De Ketelaere were the designated takers, but in a moment of enthusiasm after scoring, Lookman decided to take the ball. That was a gesture I did not appreciate at all.”
Lookman has a history of controversial penalties, including his infamous failed Panenka attempt for Fulham against West Ham in November 2020.
Atalanta’s Penalty Woes Continue
Penalty struggles have been a recurring issue for Atalanta this season. Mateo Retegui has missed two crucial penalties against Arsenal and Torino, while Mario Pasalic also failed to convert in a 2-1 loss to Torino. So far, only Retegui (two out of four) and Charles De Ketelaere have managed to score from the spot.
Gasperini also condemned captain Rafael Toloi’s late red card after he aggressively confronted Maxim de Cuyper, forcing match officials to intervene.
“That was an ugly incident, and we must never lose our heads. Atalanta must leave the Champions League with dignity, having played great games against teams like Real Madrid, Arsenal, and Barcelona,” Gasperini added.
Atalanta’s exit makes them the second Italian club to crash out of the Champions League, following AC Milan’s elimination after a 2-1 aggregate loss to Feyenoord.
