Ademola Lookman arrives at the weekend with a record in sight and a favourite opponent in front of him, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Nigerian international, who struck the breakthrough goal in Atalanta’s impressive 3-0 Champions League win at Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday, now sits on 54 goals for the Bergamo club. That tally places him joint-ninth on Atalanta’s all-time scoring list, level with former Danish striker Poul Rasmussen.
Though Lookman has reached the mark in more appearances, 130 to Rasmussen’s 106, his upward trajectory remains impressive. Only eight players in Atalanta’s history have scored more. A brace against Fiorentina on Sunday would lift him to 56 goals, pulling him level with Adriano Bassetto and ex-Napoli forward Germán Denis, two imposing names in the club’s attacking lineage.
For Lookman, Fiorentina have long been reliable targets. With five goals and three assists in seven matches against the Viola, they remain the side he has punished most consistently. And as both teams arrive in urgent need of league points, the stage is set for another decisive performance.
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Ademola Lookman's Atalanta seek lift-off as Fiorentina sink into crisis
Despite their European momentum, domestic frustrations continue to shadow Atalanta.
Wednesday’s commanding Champions League display, delivered in a five-minute second-half surge, eased the pressure on new manager Raffaele Palladino. Atalanta now sit 10th in their group standings but remain far lower in Serie A, where they have collected just 13 points from 12 matches, their poorest start since 2014.
Winless in eight league games under Palladino and his predecessor Ivan Juric, La Dea have not celebrated a Serie A victory since September. Last weekend’s 3-1 defeat to champions Napoli extended their misery and intensified the need for a domestic turnaround.
Fiorentina’s situation is even more dire. The Tuscan side, without a league win since May, sit 17th after drawing 1-1 with Juventus. New coach Paolo Vanoli has yet to halt the decline, overseeing two league draws and a Conference League defeat to AEK Athens, a match in which his side mustered only two shots on target.
Their problems stretch across the pitch: 10 set-piece goals conceded, misfiring forwards in Moise Kean and Edin Dzeko, and a winless run now at seven games. Injuries to Robin Gosens, Christian Kouame, Tariq Lamptey and doubts over Dodo further complicate Vanoli’s task.
With Atalanta expected to maintain their attacking trio and Lookman in sharp form, Fiorentina face another stern test. And if Lookman finds the net again, history may tilt decisively in his favour.
