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Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini has sought to ease tensions following his controversial comments about Ademola Lookman, clarifying that his words were not intended to be offensive Footynaija.com reports.
The fallout from Gasperini’s remarks had caused significant friction between the coach and his Nigerian forward, but the veteran tactician now appears keen to move past the dispute.
The Europa League champions found themselves at the centre of controversy following their shock UEFA Champions League exit at the hands of Club Brugge. The Italian side suffered a humiliating 5-2 aggregate defeat to the Belgian champions, who won both legs of their playoff tie.
However, rather than the discussion focusing on Atalanta’s disappointing performance, the post-match fallout was dominated by Gasperini’s comments about Lookman’s missed penalty in the second leg.
In a moment of visible frustration, Gasperini labelled Lookman “the worst penalty taker” he had ever seen, also accusing the forward of taking the spot-kick despite not being the club’s designated taker.
Lookman responded strongly, expressing his disappointment and calling the comments “disrespectful.” The incident quickly escalated, drawing criticism from various footballing figures, including Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero and former Barcelona and Inter Milan forward Samuel Eto’o.
However, ahead of Atalanta’s Serie A clash with Empoli, Gasperini adopted a more conciliatory tone, insisting that he never intended to insult Lookman.
“He had an extraordinary impact, and everything that followed… My words were not meant to be offensive,” Gasperini said in his press conference.
“Yesterday, in Udinese-Lecce, we could have witnessed a global spectacle, but fortunately, some players chose to let it go. I would have liked a strong player like him to make a gesture towards De Ketelaere, saying, ‘Come on, keep the ball, put it in.’ He could become a penalty taker, which would add another finishing ability.”
The Atalanta boss also dismissed any notion that his comments were aimed at creating chaos within the club.
“I almost feel like there’s a desire to portray Atalanta as chaotic, but the reality is quite different. I always speak in front of the whole team; it was never aimed at the club. He felt offended, but I didn’t mean to offend anyone. I think it turned out well because there was no spectacle. I’m glad about what happened with Udinese, about what the players and coach did. He came on in an extraordinary way, and his gesture, even if generous, does not change my opinion.”
Gasperini’s reference to Udinese’s match against Lecce highlighted another recent penalty controversy in Serie A.
During Friday night’s fixture, Lorenzo Lucca defied team orders to take a penalty, wrestling the ball from his teammates and ignoring designated taker Florian Thauvin, who also wore the captain’s armband.
Udinese’s furious coach, Kosta Runjaić, wasted no time in substituting Lucca in the 36th minute, bringing on Iker Bravo instead. The incident led to a heated confrontation involving Jaka Bijol, Alexis Sanchez, and Oumar Solet, with even Lecce’s players frustrated by the lengthy delay before the penalty was eventually taken.
Despite the chaos, Lucca converted the spot-kick emphatically, sending Wladimiro Falcone the wrong way and firing into the top left corner.
While Gasperini may have intended to draw a lesson from that episode, his comments about Lookman have already done their damage. Whether his latest remarks will be enough to repair the relationship remains to be seen.
