Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini and Ademola Lookman shared a touching moment, which led to a warm embrace between the pair on the touchline, as the Nigerian international was substituted in the 80th minute of Sunday’s historic 4-0 triumph over Juventus at the Allianz Stadium.
“Can I give you a hug; can you give me a nice smile?” Gasperini asked Lookman, according to FootballItalia, and it appears to have finally buried the hatchet following a public fallout that rocked the Bergamo club last month after their Champions League exit.
Lookman, who netted his landmark 50th Serie A goal during the demolition of the Turin giants, had been subjected to unprecedented criticism from his manager following a penalty miss in Atalanta’s 3-1 defeat to Club Brugge on February 18.
The 27-year-old forward’s goal against Juventus was his 13th of the Serie A campaign, taking his tally to 18 across all competitions this season – already surpassing his total from last term.
The reigning African Player of the Year is now up to 25 goal contributions from 31 matches in all competitions this season, made up of five goals and two assists from seven Champions League outings, and 13 goals and five assists from 22 appearances in Serie A.
Sunday’s resounding victory, which inflicted Juventus’ worst home defeat since 1967, saw La Dea move three points clear of Thiago Motta’s side in the battle for third place while maintaining their outside hopes of challenging for the Scudetto.
Mateo Retegui opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 35th minute after Weston McKennie handled the ball inside the box. Marten De Roon doubled the advantage early in the second half, pouncing on a rebound after Lookman’s powerful shot was initially parried by Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio.
Davide Zappacosta added a third following a brilliant exchange with Sead Kolasinac before Lookman capitalised on Dusan Vlahovic’s slip in midfield to race through on goal and score Atalanta’s fourth in the 75th minute.
The victory was particularly significant for Lookman, who had previously failed to secure a win in five meetings with the Bianconeri, managing just four draws and suffering one defeat while contributing two goals and one assist against the Turin giants.
Following Atalanta’s crucial victory over Juventus, Gasperini highlighted Lookman’s importance to the team and announced that the winger would have the honour of wearing the captain’s armband for the remainder of the season.
“When a group spends 300 days together in a year, people can have different views,” Gasperini said at a post-match press conference as reported by Football Italia.
“Lookman became a fantastic player when he improved his perception of the team. He used to have a more individual approach. He wasn’t a bad guy, but he mostly focused on the individual. He made Atalanta great, and Atalanta made him great. I am convinced he can be the captain before the end of the season,” the Atalanta boss added.
The reconciliation between the player and coach comes less than three weeks after their highly publicised dispute when Gasperini labelled Lookman “one of the worst penalty-takers I’ve ever seen” following Atalanta’s Champions League exit.
The manager’s comments came after Lookman, who had been introduced at halftime with his side already trailing 3-0, saw his penalty saved by former Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet in the 61st minute. This was despite the Nigerian having already made an immediate impact by scoring within 42 seconds of his introduction.
Lookman released an emotional statement revealing that the designated penalty taker had instructed him to take the spot-kick, directly contradicting Gasperini’s version of events.
Gasperini’s criticisms sparked widespread outrage among supporters who pointed out apparent double standards in not similarly criticising Retegui’s crucial penalty misses this season or captain Rafael Toloi’s temperamental red card in the same match.
The situation led to speculation about Lookman’s future at the club, with reports suggesting multiple Premier League clubs are monitoring developments closely.
The forward has been a revelation since joining La Dea, with his most significant contribution coming last May when his historic hat-trick secured Atalanta’s first-ever European trophy, defeating the then-unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League final.
Lookman’s exceptional performances for Atalanta earned him the prestigious CAF African Footballer of the Year award in December, and his current form suggests he remains among the continent’s elite players.
As Atalanta continue their pursuit of Champions League qualification and an unlikely title challenge, the reconciliation between their star forward and veteran manager could not have come at a more opportune moment. Their next challenge comes on Sunday when they host Fiorentina at the Gewiss Stadium.
