Confrontation During Champions League Match
In a heated moment during Wednesday’s Champions League clash against Marseille, Ademola Lookman found himself in a confrontation with his Atalanta manager, Ivan Juric. The tension erupted after Juric opted to substitute Lookman in the 75th minute. The former Everton and Leicester City winger exchanged words with Juric as he left the pitch, leading to an intense reaction from the manager who grabbed Lookman by the arm. The situation escalated until a member of the Atalanta staff intervened to de-escalate the confrontation.
Match Outcome
Atalanta managed to secure a narrow victory over Marseille with a late goal from Lazar Samardzic in the 89th minute. Lookman, who has also played for clubs like Charlton Athletic and Fulham, is no stranger to turmoil at Atalanta.
Previous Disputes and Criticism
This season has seen Lookman involved in multiple disputes, the most notable being his previous manager Gian Piero Gasperini‘s harsh assessment of his penalty-taking, labeling him as “one of the worst” he had ever seen. Lookman countered Gasperini’s criticism on social media, expressing that such comments felt disrespectful towards him.
Future at Atalanta
This year, Lookman also faced challenges regarding his future at Atalanta. Despite receiving interest from Serie A rivals Inter Milan, his desire to leave was met with rejection from the club, leading to a public declaration where he detailed the unfulfilled promises from the club and his decision to submit a formal transfer request. In this statement, he highlighted his loyalty to Atalanta but expressed his feelings of mistreatment as both a player and an individual.
Current Standing
Currently, Atalanta sits in 11th place in Serie A, and Lookman’s latest clash with Juric represents another chapter in his tumultuous three-year tenure at the Italian club, where frustrations have seemingly become a recurring theme.
