Trainer mocks his own player
“One of the worst penalty shooters I’ve ever seen”
19.02.2025 – 5:57 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
Bergamos Ademola Lookman was the celebrated hero in the European League victory against Leverkusen. When the royal classes were now carried out, he became a scapegoat-even with his trainer.
After Atalanta Bergamo’s Champions League, coach Gian Piero Gasperini criticized his striker Ademola Lookman in an unusually harsh kind. The 27-year-old former Leipziger had awarded a penalty against FC Bruges in the playoff second leg.
“Lookman shouldn’t have been shooting the penalty. He is one of the worst penalty shooters I have ever seen,” said Gasperini at the press conference and smiled easily. Even in the training session of the Nigerians, only a few punishment. “He shoots really weak.”
Lookman had only been substituted at the second half and had scored 1: 3 shortly afterwards. In the 61st minute he then started the penalty, but failed due to the goalkeeper. According to Gasperini, Charles de Ketelaere and Mateo Retegui were planned as shooters. He suspected that Lookman was too euphoric after his goal.
One day after leaving, Lookman spoke up on Instagram – with clear words. “Not only hurt in such a way of being picked out in such a way, but also feels deeply disrespectful,” wrote the offensive player, who was elected “Africa’s footballer of the year in 2024.
Lookman emphasized that he always fights hard for the club and fans. At the same time, he indicated that he had already experienced difficult phases in Bergamo. “I have never talked about most of them, because in my opinion the team always has to be protected and come first. What happened last night is therefore even hurtful.”
Gasperini made it clear that Lookman shouldn’t have shooted the penalty. But the striker contradicted that he was asked by one of the actual shooters. “To help the team, I took responsibility at the moment,” he wrote. It is “sad to have to write this statement on such a day”.
Last season Lookman was still Atalantas Große Held: In the Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen, he scored all three goals in the 3-0 victory.