Champions League manager blasts his own player as ‘one of the worst penalty takers I’ve ever seen’

Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini slammed Ademola Lookman as ‘one of the worst penalty takers I’ve ever seen’ after the club’s Champions League exit. Ex-Premier League winger Lookman was on target during Atalanta’s Champions League defeat to Club Brugge on Tuesday night but also missed from the spot. Gasperini revealed after the match that Lookman was not supposed to take the penalty but took matters into his own hands after scoring.

Club Brugge sealed a surprise 2-1 win over Serie A side Atalanta in the first leg of their Champions League play-off match and were in dreamland when they scored three goals in the opening 45 minutes of the second leg in Italy. Lookman was introduced at half-time after recovering from a recent injury and made an instant impact, scoring early into the second half to give Atalanta hope of an unlikely comeback.

Atalanta had the chance to get another goal back when they were awarded a penalty but Lookman’s effort was saved by former Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet. The home side grew increasingly frustrated and captain Rafael Toilo was sent off late on for shoving Maxim de Cuyper after the Belgian defender stopped him from taking a quick throw-in. In his post-match press conference, Atalanta boss Gasperini hit out at Lookman’s ability from the penalty spot and his decision to take the spot-kick.

‘Ademola Lookman is one of the worst penalty takers I’ve ever seen,’ he said of a player who played for Everton, Fulham and Leicester City after coming through at Charlton Athletic. ‘He wanted to take the penalty after scoring a goal, he took the ball despite Retegui and De Keteleare available to take it… I didn’t like what Lookman did.’. The comments surprised fans and even former Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand, who commented ‘liberty’ beneath a post highlighting Gasperini’s outburst.

Lookman has been one of Atalanta’s best players over the past three seasons, scoring 46 goals in 104 appearances and helping the club win the Europa League last season, scoring a hat-trick in the final. The Nigeria international has won the club’s Player of the Season award twice and was the African Footballer of the Year for 2024. Speaking more generally about his side’s Champions League exit, Gasperini added: ‘They were two rather strange games, as the Champions League is a tournament decided by incidents and moments.

‘We conceded a goal straight away, then another moments after hitting the woodwork, so they made the most out of every situation. It was incredible to go into the break 3-0 down after those performances. ‘The team always played with dignity, created many scoring opportunities, missed a penalty, had a goal-line clearance. Any of those moments could’ve changed the game.’. Belgian side Club Brugge will face Premier League club Aston Villa or French outfit Lille in the last-16 of the Champions League.

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