Deeply Disrespectful’ – Lookman Fires Back at Gasperini Over Penalty Criticism

Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman hits back at Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini, calling his comments “deeply disrespectful” after a missed penalty.

Ademola Lookman of Atalanta has responded to manager Gian Piero Gasperini, criticizing his remarks following the club’s Champions League exit on Tuesday as “deeply disrespectful.”

The Nigerian player came on as a substitute at half-time during Atalanta’s Champions League play-off second leg against Club Brugge, marking his return from injury.

Gasperini brought the winger onto the field when their team was trailing 5-1 on aggregate, but it took him only 36 seconds to score a goal.

The key moment of the game occurred at the 60-minute mark when Atalanta was awarded a penalty. Lookman seemed to take charge by claiming the ball over first-choice players Charles De Ketelaere and Mateo Retegui.

He failed to convert the penalty, drawing criticism from Gasperini following the match.

“Lookman wasn’t meant to take that penalty; he’s among the worst penalty takers I’ve ever come across,” Gasperini commented following the 5-2 aggregate loss.

“His performance in training has frankly been quite poor, with very few conversions. Retegui and De Ketelaere were present, but Lookman, caught up in the excitement after scoring, took the ball himself—a gesture I did not appreciate at all.”

In a statement released on Wednesday addressing those remarks, Lookman expressed his disappointment: “It saddens me to write this today—especially considering what we’ve accomplished together as both a team and a city.”

Being singled out like this is not only painful but also deeply disrespectful, especially considering the immense hard work and dedication I’ve consistently put in every day to contribute to the success of this club and its amazing fans in Bergamo.

Honestly, I’ve faced numerous challenging moments during my time here—most of which I’ve kept to myself because I believe the team should always be prioritized and protected. This is why what happened last night was particularly painful.

Together with our amazing fans, we as a team are also feeling the disappointment from last night’s result. During the match, I was instructed by the designated penalty taker to step up and take it; in support of the team, I accepted that responsibility at the moment. Life is about facing challenges and transforming pain into strength—a journey I’ll continue on.