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Atalanta are in a race against time to have Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman fit for their crucial Champions League playoff second leg against Club Brugge next Tuesday, Soccernet.football reports.
Lookman has been sidelined since January 28 after sustaining a knee injury and was absent from Atalanta’s squad for the first-leg clash in Belgium.
His absence was felt as Gian Piero Gasperini’s side struggled in attack, ultimately falling to a 2-1 defeat after a stoppage-time penalty from Gustaf Nilsson sealed victory for the hosts.
With their Champions League hopes hanging in the balance, Atalanta will need a strong performance in the return leg at Gewiss Stadium to overturn the deficit.
Good news for Atalanta as Ademola Lookman returns to training.
— HF World (@hfworld_) February 7, 2025
The club is winless in their three games since the CAF Player of the year picked up an injury at the end of January.
Since then, they fell out of UCL top 8 and exit Coppa Italia.
How much they’ve missed him. pic.twitter.com/Z4Tg8t76K0
Gasperini is hopeful that Lookman, who has been one of the team’s most influential attacking players this season, can recover in time to play a role in the high-stakes encounter.
“We hope to have him (Lookman) and Kolasinac back for next Tuesday,” Gasperini said as per Sosfanta.
“I don’t know about Lookman—it’s difficult to make predictions at the moment. He has started training again, but the issue with his collateral ligament means he’s still not in condition to play. We hope that a week will be enough.”
While Lookman’s return would be a massive boost for Atalanta, the timing of the match could be problematic. The 26-year-old was initially expected to be back in early March, and there remains doubt over whether he will be fit enough to feature next week.
Atalanta’s struggles in Belgium
Atalanta’s first-leg defeat in Brugge was a frustrating one for Gasperini’s men. The Serie A side fell behind early when Ferran Jutglà punished their defensive lapse in the 15th minute, but they fought back to equalise before halftime through Mario Pašalić’s well-timed header.
In the second half, Atalanta pushed forward in search of a winner, with Charles De Ketelaere and Mateo Retegui leading the attack. However, Club Brugge’s disciplined defensive setup made it difficult for them to create clear-cut chances.
Just when it seemed both teams would settle for a draw, Atalanta suffered a heartbreaking blow in stoppage time.
Isak Hien was adjudged to have caught Nilsson in the face with an outstretched arm inside the box, and after a VAR review, the referee pointed to the spot. Nilsson confidently converted the penalty, securing a vital win for Club Brugge.
Without Lookman, Gasperini’s side lacked their usual cutting edge in the final third, with De Ketelaere and Retegui struggling to break down the Belgian side’s resolute defence.
Atalanta now have just a week to prepare for what could be their most important game of the season.
