Gasperini: I never intended to disrespect Ademola Lookman

Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini has clarified that he didn’t intend to offend Ademola Lookman with his comments following their UEFA Champions League loss to Club Brugge on Tuesday.

Atalanta’s early exit from the competition came with unexpected fallout, as Gasperini publicly criticized Lookman for taking a penalty in the decisive home defeat. The coach described the Nigerian forward as “one of the worst penalty takers” he had seen, sparking controversy.

Lookman, who returned from injury and scored Atalanta’s only goal of the match, responded by calling the remarks disrespectful, prompting the club to step in and mediate the situation.

Speaking at a press conference, Gasperini insisted his words were not meant to offend Lookman.

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“He had an extraordinary impact. My words were never meant to be offensive,” Gasperini said via TMW.

The coach also referenced Friday’s Udinese-Lecce clash, where Udinese’s Lorenzo Lucca opted to let a teammate take a penalty in a key moment.

“Yesterday, in Udinese-Lecce, we saw what could have turned into a global spectacle, but fortunately, the players let it go,” Gasperini noted.

“I would have liked to see a great player like Lookman encourage [Charles] De Ketelaere to take the penalty, showing leadership. He could become a designated penalty taker and add another scoring ability. But I feel like there’s a narrative being pushed that Atalanta are in chaos, which is far from reality.

“I always speak openly with the entire team, and this has never been an issue within the club. The player felt offended, but I never intended it that way. In the end, there was no unnecessary drama.

“Lookman came on against Brugge in an extraordinary way, and his gesture—while generous—doesn’t change my opinion.”