Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman has responded to criticism from his coach, Gian Piero Gasperini, following their elimination from the UEFA Champions League. The Serie A club exited the competition with a 5-2 aggregate loss, despite Lookman scoring their only goal in the second leg.
After the match, Gasperini publicly expressed his disappointment in the Nigeria international for taking and missing a crucial penalty. Lookman has now broken his silence in an emotional post on X (formerly Twitter), stating that he was asked to take the penalty by the designated taker.
“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.
“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 26-year-old winger explained that the decision to take the penalty was made in the heat of the moment.
“Along with our incredible fans, we as a team are hurting too with last night’s result. 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.”
Despite the disappointment, Lookman remains focused on bouncing back from the setback.
“Life’s about challenges and turning pain into power, which I’ll continue to do.”
Lookman has been one of Atalanta’s key players this season. Despite their Champions League exit, he remains committed to helping the club achieve success in Serie A and other competitions.
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