Gasp, serious injuries: Lookman can return but still loses Zapata

There is no peace for Duvàn Zapata, therefore there is no peace for Atalanta. For a possible return on Saturday on the occasion of the very delicate match against Verona, that of Ademola Lookman, there is a new stoppage for the Colombian. Yesterday forced to report another muscle problem, not light and this time in the calf. Yet another of this very tormented period for the team and all the more for him, who at this point – given that there are only three races to go – can only fear that this already tribulated season, which has become very troubled, is over. Because yesterday morning’s signals were anything but encouraging: Zapata ended training in pain and left Zingonia with a limp. Considering how powerful and delicate his muscles are (especially the soleus) at the same time, it is inevitable to evaluate the most pessimistic hypothesis.

Third stop

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For Zapata, net of a brief stop due to a hip problem (he went out in the Coppa Italia match against Spezia and missed Juventus-Atalanta), this is the third injury of the season, the sixth in the last year and a half: he has already missed nine games of this championship, six between the beginning of September and mid-October (strain of the semimembranosus of the left thigh) and three between mid-February and the beginning of March (same muscle, but of the other leg). Just when he seemed to have found himself (with the goal from Turin), or in any case to have found some of that continuity he never had – hence his performance from just two goals in 25 games – yet another unexpected event yesterday. Bad news for a team already heavily bandaged, which has just recovered after a Hojlund muscle problem, but has long since lost Ruggeri and, more recently, Palomino and Soppy due to non-trivial injuries. Just when he hoped to fly, the team finds itself weighed down by injuries beyond all expectations.

Optimism for Djimsiti

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For this reason, in view of Verona, it is even more important to recover Lookman, at least for the bench. Which, again due to a muscle stop, Gasperini has been missing for six championship matches, now a month and a half. As also for Djimsiti (back to work, even if only partially, in the group: he can do it on Saturday), at least for the Nigerian, still the Nerazzurri top scorer, yesterday brought some optimism: his work on the field is was still individual, but with the confirmation of the encouraged indications emerged as early as Tuesday. Obviously today’s feedback and decisive training sessions with the group will be decisive for his return, but he still has two days available and therefore speaking of cautious optimism does not seem exaggerated. Without the real Lookman, even before he got hurt, Atalanta often struggled: there are three games left to forget the personal decline in the second round (only two goals, after 11 in the first half of the championship) and to bring the Atalanta in Europe. Even without Zapata.