Tag: Lookman

While welcoming Ademola Lookman back against Torino, Atalanta coach Ivan Juric insisted that  the Nigerian international striker  “was given some bad advice.”

In their  Serie A game  yesterday, Atalanta ran riot against struggling Torino with a Nikola Krstovic brace and Kamaldeen Sulemana, while Marco Carnesecchi saved a penalty on Lookman’s comeback.

The Granata recovered from a disastrous 5-0 opening round defeat to Inter by holding Fiorentina 0-0, then earning a shock 1-0 win away to Roma. Adam Masina joined long-term absentees Perr Schuurs and Zanos Sava.

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Juric returned to face his old club after stuttering with La Dea, fresh from a midweek 4-0 Champions League defeat at PSG. That saw Charles De Ketelaere and Giorgio Scalvini added to the injury list, with Gianluca Scamacca, Ederson, Sead Kolasinac and Mitchel Bakker.

However,  there was the return to the field of Lookman, who had not played since last season, having tried and failed to force through an exit to Inter.

He was introduced as a second half substitute  in the 87^th minute  but failed  to add to  the tally as the La Dea cruised to a 3-0 win .

In his post-match comments, Juric remarked about Lookman as per Football Italia: “He spoke to me and the team on Monday, he was surrounded by people who had given him some bad advice. He has a great winning mentality and now we need to get him back in shape physically.”

Ademola Lookman’s return to Atalanta’s first-team has been met with hostility from sections of the club’s support, Soccernet.ng reports.

Lookman’s expected reintegration into the Atalanta first team picture may not go down smoothly as some of the club’s fans have branded the Nigerian forward ‘ungrateful’ in a banner unveiled in Bergamo this week.

The 26-year-old had been frozen out since the start of the campaign following a bitter standoff with the club hierarchy.

Lookman submitted a transfer request in August after Atalanta rejected a €45m bid from Inter Milan, then accused the club of mishandling his situation in a lengthy Instagram post.

The Super Eagles attacker skipped much of pre-season, opting instead to spend weeks in England before rejoining the squad just five days before the Serie A season began. Head coach Ivan Juric left him out of all matchday squads until finally restoring him to first-team training this week.

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Not all supporters have welcomed the decision. A banner displayed in Bergamo bluntly read:

“No. 11 reintegrated but for us, you remain ungrateful.”

Atalanta president Antonio Percassi has tried to calm the tension, confirming Lookman’s reintegration but warning that commitment must come first.

“We know his technical ability, but to play here you have to be 100% focused. When he’s ready, we’ll welcome him back with open arms,” Percassi told reporters.

Lookman’s future remains under scrutiny. Despite the club standoff, he has stayed sharp on international duty with Nigeria during World Cup qualifiers.

Atalanta, meanwhile, are juggling Serie A ambitions with European competition, and Juric could yet rely on the winger’s explosive pace and creativity in attack.

Ademola Lookman has returned to full training with Atalanta after holding a crucial meeting with head coach Ivan Juric and his teammates yesterday morning.

The Nigerian forward had been sidelined since August following his push to join Serie A rivals Inter. However, multiple reports in Italy, including La Gazzetta dello Sport, confirmed  that Lookman was back with the main group  yesterday, September 18, at Zingonia.

Before the session, Lookman reportedly sat down with Juric to resolve recent tensions and later addressed the squad, admitting he endured a difficult summer but stressing his renewed motivation and commitment to the team.

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Although the 26-year-old has yet to make his first competitive appearance of the season, his reintegration means he could be in contention for Atalanta’s upcoming Serie A clash against Torino.

The Bergamo side resumed training just hours after their heavy 4-0 Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, with Juric keen to rally his squad ahead of a crucial domestic fixture.

Ademola Lookman will be conspicuously missing  when Atalanta face off with European Champions Paris Saint Germain in Paris today  in their first Champions League game under new coach Ivan Juric .

Juric explained  that the Nigeria International striker was becoming an unnecessary distraction with his awkward attitude following the collapse of  his potential summer transfer to Inter Milan, adding the  club  has already  “spoken clearly” to the  African Footballer of the Year  who has  not on the  Dea’s travel team for  their UCL opener.

According to Football Italia, Atalanta’s preparations have been overshadowed by the on-going controversy around Lookman, who spent the summer trying to force an exit to Inter, then had to limp back to Bergamo.

His attitude in training did not impress the club, with Juric insisting he “should not have to beg” for the Nigerian to play.

 “We are relaxed, we already spoke to him clearly, so we just want to focus on tomorrow’s match,” concluded the coach.

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Meanwhile, tonight’s  showdown at Parc des Princes will kick-off  at 8:00pm Nigerian  time (19.00 GMT) as Juric  partly revealed Atalanta’s  master plan against  PSG.

“We are concentrated on how to prepare the game, so at this moment I am not feeling much emotion,” assured Juric on Sky Sport Italia as per Football Italia. “I am curious to see the opponent who deservedly was crowned the best team in Europe. We prepared well to face them and hope to have a great performance. We need courage, we know their strengths are in passing the ball and using their pace in attack.

 “However, we’ve seen they tend to struggle more against teams who sit a little deeper, rather than those who face them openly.”

Atalanta have stuttered so far in Serie A, drawing both their opening matches against Pisa and Parma before sweeping Lecce aside 4-1.

There are also some injury problems, as Ederson, Gianluca Scamacca and Sead Kolasinac are still out of action, along with long-term absentee Mitchel Bakker.

“We have many young players who can do well, so I feel confident,” added the coach.

 “We deserved more in the other matches, but didn’t get the results to reflect the performance. Against Lecce, we combined good football with goals and the victory, so we needed that confidence booster to go into this game.”

Today’s UCL Fixtures

Olympiakos vs. Pafos

Slavia Prague vs. Bodø/Glimt

Ajax vs. Inter Milan

Bayern vs. Chelsea

Liverpool vs.  Atlético

 PSG vs. Atalanta

Atalanta coach Ivan Juric has suggested that tensions with Ademola Lookman remain unresolved after leaving the Nigerian forward out of his squad for the Serie A clash with Lecce.

Lookman, who spent much of the summer linked with a move to Inter Milan before the deal collapsed, has reportedly asked to train separately since returning from international duty.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Juric made it clear he will not compromise his principles to accommodate the 27-year-old attacker.

“This is an unpleasant, difficult situation. As a coach, what I feel is that we need other things: spirit, fight, humility, work, a sense of belonging,” he was quoted as saying by Fanpage.

“On a human level, I want something different; I want a different sense of belonging, and we’ll continue like this.”

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Juric then underlined that the club’s values must come before any single player.

“I have a very good relationship with Lookman, but I don’t have to beg him to play,” he stressed.

“It works the other way around. We are Atalanta, and he represents the city. What Atalanta represents is what we need: hard work, humility.

“These are different values; I don’t have to beg anyone. We all believe that Atalanta needs strong human values.”

Lookman’s omission comes at a time when Atalanta is already adjusting following Mateo Retegui’s departure.

The exclusion of one of Atalanta’s most decisive players, however, highlights the delicate challenge Juric faces as he seeks to instill his own philosophy after succeeding Gian Piero Gasperini.

For now, Lookman’s situation remains a conundrum, with the coach unwilling to back down and Inter no longer pursuing the forward.

Whether this standoff signals a temporary disciplinary measure or the beginning of a prolonged rift will become clearer in the weeks ahead, but Juric’s comments suggest reconciliation is far from certain.

Atalanta sporting director Tony  D’Amico sees similarities between Lookman and Koopmeiners as both players pushed to leave Bergamo over the last year.

Koopmeiners ultimately joined Juventus in the 2024 summer transfer window, while Lookman is still at Atalanta, who rejected any offer below €50m from Inter during the latest transfer window.

 “Those were very similar cases, and not pleasant to go through,” D’Amico told Gazzetta.

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 “You have to manage the present while forgetting that these are guys with whom you shared a thousand things just yesterday. You’re forced to go beyond certain emotions that still cling to you. It’s tough.

D’Amico was also a candidate for the Milan sporting director role before the Rossoneri hired Igli Tare.

 “I’ve read too many things. For sure, I’ve never felt, not even for a single day, outside of Atalanta,” he said.

Four-Cap Super Eagles striker Simy Nwankwo said Atalanta are being unfair to not grant the CAF Player of the Year Ademola Lookman is wish to join Inter Milan.

The Crotone record goal scorer mentioned that “For Ademola, he has given everything, scored a hat-trick in the Europa League final and wanted the next step for his career.

“I don’t think Ademola needs any advice, he’s a top professional, relationship with the fans would be what it would be, the fans would always be selfish, everywhere in the world.

“They don’t care about you, as long as you are winning for them, you owe them, I’m used to it, even in the big clubs, the small clubs, even in Nigeria.

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“It’s the same everywhere, the fans don’t know the dynamics of things going on inside, and at the end of the day, they will only say what they see in the news.

“Last year, it was PSG he was blocked; now it’s Inter Milan they are blocking it. I think it’s a shame when clubs behave like this.

“You have to come to a compromise with the players, and you have to also look at their dreams, you don’t have to be selfish to think only about yourself, because if he’s not doing well, like not giving 100% he would have been pushed out.

“When he gives you everything for three years and makes a demand to step up, I think the club should have the sensibility to understand that he’s also a man and we play with numbers like age, so on a personal note, it’s shameful with what is going on.”

Inter Milan are unwilling to increase their fee for Lookman, and have gone on to sign 22-year-old Andy Alune Diouf from RC Lens for €25m, less than half of what La Dea demanded for the England-born Nigerian forward.

Atalanta coach Ivan Juric still expects more new signings before the transfer deadline, but admits ‘it is difficult to hazard a guess’ on whether Ademola Lookman will stay or go.

La Dea opened their campaign with a disappointing 1-1 draw against Pisa and now face a tricky trip to Parma today.

 “The second half against Pisa was excellent, but the only problem was that we failed to capitalise on our chances. We’ve got to improve on dealing with the long ball game of opponents,” noted the coach in his press conference.

 “Parma are a tough opponent, they had the first really big chance of their game against Juventus, even if they eventually lost. Carlos Cuesta comes from Arsenal, so I expect an aggressive pressing game and danger on set plays.

 “We use zonal defending and know how to adjust from game to game. Arsenal and in general the Premier League are tactical inspirations for me, there is such a maniacal focus on certain aspects that we don’t really pay attention to.”

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Ederson was struggling with injury problems ahead of that game and will also miss out tomorrow, while Lookman remains an outcast following his attempts to walk away this summer.

 “I think that could still get some more moves done before the transfer deadline. I don’t know anything about Lookman, it’s difficult to hazard a guess on what will happen or if he will remain,” added Juric.

Lookman had wanted a transfer to Inter, but the club withdrew after their offer was turned down, then nobody else was prepared to match it.

He has been training separately from the rest of the squad, but remains under contract and could be welcomed back into the fold.

Atalanta are in the Champions League again this season and the draw pitted them against Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Club Brugge, Eintracht Frankfurt, Slavia Praha, Olympique Marseille, Athletic Club Bilbao and Union Saint-Gilloise.

 “There are no fragile teams in there,” insisted Juric. “I faced Union before and know how good they are, while Slavia Prague play really good football too, I scouted a few of their players. Obviously, then facing champions of PSG or Chelsea will be special.”

Atalanta fans are so furious at Ademola Lookman with some even suggesting that it would be better to be relegated to Serie B than to play the Super Eagles star.

This has led to his new nickname of Guipiman, a street cleaner.

Various banners by the fans have not hidden their disappointment towards Ademola Lookman no thanks to a transfer saga that also involved local rivals Inter Milan.

“The shirt must be honoured. Another piece of bullshit will not be tolerated,” warned the banner by the Curva Nord 1907 fans, clearly referring to the transfer saga involving the Nigerian star.

The Vecchia Guardia were even more damning in their condemnation of ‘Mola’.

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“Better Serie B than someone like this in this team,” they fired through their own banner.

Atalanta coach Ivan Juric feels that “the fans pay the price” due to the antics of Ademola Lookman during his transfer soap opera with Inter Milan.

The coach gave his thoughts ahead of his team’s Serie A opener against Pisa Sunday, as reported by FCInterNews.

“When a player tries to force the issue, the fans, who put their heart and soul into the team, are the ones to pay the price.”

“Clubs have to look after their interests,” the coach added.

“But the disappointment of the fans remains.”