Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman has responded to manager Gian Piero Gasperini\u2019s public criticism following his missed penalty in their UEFA Europa League clash against Club Brugge, Soccernet.ng<\/a> reports.<\/strong><\/p>\n Lookman, who recently returned from injury, was instructed to take the penalty but failed to convert, with Atalanta eventually losing 3-1 on the night and exiting the competition with a 5-2 aggregate defeat.<\/p>\n Gasperini, in his post-match comments, heavily criticised the Nigerian international<\/a>, for taking the penalty, which could have changed the course of the game.<\/p>\n \u201cAdemola Lookman is one of the worst penalty takers I\u2019ve ever seen. He wanted to take the penalty after scoring a goal. He took the ball despite Retegui and De Ketelaere being available\u2026 I didn\u2019t like what Lookman did.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n READ MORE:<\/strong>\u00a0Champions League: Ademola Lookman suffers heartbreak with Atalanta as Onyedika laughs last<\/a><\/p>\n The 27-year-old forward has now addressed the situation in a statement on his social media page, expressing disappointment at being publicly singled out.<\/p>\n \u201cIt saddens me on a day like this to have to write this statement \u2013 most of all because of what we have achieved together as a team and as a city. Being singled out in the manner I have been not only hurts but feels deeply disrespectful, not least because of the immense hard work and commitment I have always put in each and every day to help bring success to this club and to the incredible fans of Bergamo,\u201d Lookman wrote.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The Super Eagles attacker also clarified that he did not take the penalty on his own accord but was instructed to do so by the designated taker.<\/p>\n \u201cDuring the match, the designated penalty taker instructed me to take the penalty; and to support the team, I took responsibility in the moment to do so. Life\u2019s about challenges and turning pain into power, which I\u2019ll continue to do,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Lookman has been one of Atalanta\u2019s top performers this season, scoring a hat-trick in the UEFA Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen to secure the club\u2019s first-ever European title.<\/p>\n READ MORE:<\/strong>\u00a0Ademola Lookman breaks UEFA Europa League record with hattrick against Boniface\u2019s Leverkusen<\/a><\/p>\n His performances also earned him a 14th-place finish in the Ballon d\u2019Or rankings and the 2024 CAF Player of the Year award.<\/p>\n With the summer transfer window approaching, Gasperini\u2019s comments could further fuel speculation about Lookman\u2019s future, especially after interest from clubs like Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United in the January window.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n
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