Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini has criticized Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman for taking a penalty during their UEFA Champions League play-off against Club Brugge.
Gasperini, visibly frustrated after Atalanta’s 3-1 home defeat in the second leg at Gewiss Stadium, stated that Lookman was not supposed to take the spot-kick and labeled him as one of the worst penalty takers he has ever seen.
The Italian side crashed out of the competition with a 5-2 aggregate loss, following a disastrous first half where Club Brugge stunned them with three goals.
Lookman, who was introduced after halftime, made an immediate impact by scoring to reduce the deficit. However, his missed penalty in the 62nd minute effectively ended any hopes of an Atalanta comeback.
“Lookman was not supposed to take that penalty. He is one of the worst penalty takers I’ve ever seen,” Gasperini said in his post-match interview.
“His record is terrible, even in training—he rarely converts them. Retegui and De Ketelaere were designated to take penalties, but Lookman, in a moment of enthusiasm after scoring, decided to take the ball. That was a gesture I did not appreciate at all.”
With this defeat, Atalanta exits the UEFA Champions League, while Club Brugge advances to the next stage of the competition.
Premier League