Atalanta have left themselves in a difficult position ahead of tonight’s Champions League opener against defending champions Paris Saint-Germain, with Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman not part of the travelling squad, Footynaija.com reports.
The Bergamo club enter the tie already on shaky ground. Coach Ivan Juric confirmed that Lookman, who has been frozen out of the team following a summer transfer saga, will not feature in Paris.
It is a decision that could haunt Atalanta. Lookman was central to their European campaign last season, scoring and assisting in key matches, yet in the games he missed, results often faltered.
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Without him, Atalanta surprisingly lost 2–1 to Club Brugge in the play-off first leg and could only manage a 2–2 draw against Barcelona, though they did thrash Young Boys 6–1 when he was benched. Those mixed outcomes show how much he matters, and how risky it is to leave him out of the big games.
Their opponents, PSG, come into this clash as reigning European champions. Luis Enrique’s side are unbeaten in Ligue 1 this term and have carried the swagger of a team that finally lifted the Champions League last season.
They will, however, be without Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué and Lucas Beraldo, all sidelined through injury. Even so, the French champions retain depth, with Bradley Barcola in fine form and Vitinha shouldering creative duties.
Atalanta’s transition under Juric has been patchy. Without Lookman’s pace and direct threat, their chances of unsettling PSG at the Parc des Princes appear slimmer.
