During Atalanta’s match against Club Brugge, Ademola Lookman, who had just recovered from an injury, scored his team’s only goal but missed a penalty.
Despite his contribution, he was criticized by his manager for the missed opportunity.
Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini described the 27-year-old Nigerian star as “one of the worst penalty takers.”
Lookman responded by stating that the criticism was harsh, deeply disrespectful, and hurtful:
“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.”
“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. Along with our incredible fans, we as a team are hurting too with last night’s result.”
Nigeria’s national team publicly expressed their support for Lookman, stating, “We are with you, Ade.”
As the reigning African Footballer of the Year, it remains uncertain whether Lookman will feature in Atalanta’s next league match.