“It saddens me” – Atalanta’s Lookman breaks silence on Gasperini’s penalty backlash

Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman has responded to manager Gian Piero Gasperini’s public criticism following his missed penalty in their UEFA Europa League clash against Club Brugge, Soccernet.ng reports.

Lookman, who recently returned from injury, was instructed to take the penalty but failed to convert, with Atalanta eventually losing 3-1 on the night and exiting the competition with a 5-2 aggregate defeat.

Gasperini, in his post-match comments, heavily criticised the Nigerian international, for taking the penalty, which could have changed the course of the game.

“Ademola Lookman is one of the worst penalty takers I’ve ever seen. He wanted to take the penalty after scoring a goal. He took the ball despite Retegui and De Ketelaere being available… I didn’t like what Lookman did.”

READ MORE: Champions League: Ademola Lookman suffers heartbreak with Atalanta as Onyedika laughs last

The 26-year-old forward has now addressed the situation in a statement on his social media page, expressing disappointment at being publicly singled out.

“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. 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,” Lookman wrote.

The Super Eagles attacker also clarified that he did not take the penalty on his own accord but was instructed to do so by the designated taker.

“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. Life’s about challenges and turning pain into power, which I’ll continue to do,” he added.

Lookman has been one of Atalanta’s top performers this season, scoring a hat-trick in the UEFA Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen to secure the club’s first-ever European title.

READ MORE: Ademola Lookman breaks UEFA Europa League record with hattrick against Boniface’s Leverkusen

His performances also earned him a 14th-place finish in the Ballon d’Or rankings and the 2024 CAF Player of the Year award.

With the summer transfer window approaching, Gasperini’s comments could further fuel speculation about Lookman’s future, especially after interest from clubs like Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United in the January window.