3 Events That Broke Ademola Lookman’s Relationship With Gasperini

Ademola Lookman and Gian Piero Gasperini’s relationship has completely fallen apart, and the tension between them reached its peak after Atalanta’s Champions League exit against Club Brugge. 

The Nigerian forward and the Italian manager publicly clashed, with Lookman firing back at Gasperini’s criticism. However, this fallout did not happen overnight—it had been building up for months. Here are the key events that led to their broken relationship.

PSG transfer blockedThe first sign of trouble came last summer when Paris Saint-Germain showed interest in signing Lookman. The French club reportedly approached him directly, and he agreed to personal terms. However, Atalanta refused to let him go.

Lookman was frustrated by the club’s decision and asked to be left out of the squad for the first three games of the season. This created tension between him and Gasperini, who was unhappy with the forward’s reaction.

The Controversial halftime substitutionAnother major issue occurred during a league game against Venezia. Lookman was in the starting lineup but was substituted at halftime despite creating three chances and having a shot on target.

Gasperini claimed the decision was tactical and that Lookman was struggling, but the forward disagreed. Reports suggested that Lookman was furious, and the club’s co-owner, Stephen Pagliuca, had to intervene. This moment deepened the cracks in their relationship.

The penalty incident against Club BruggeThe final blow came during Atalanta’s Champions League match against Club Brugge. Lookman, returning from injury, came on as a substitute and scored within 36 seconds. But later in the game, he missed a penalty, which was saved by Simon Mignolet.

After the match, Gasperini publicly criticized him, blaming him for the team’s elimination. Lookman responded with a statement on social media, revealing that he had endured many difficult moments at Atalanta but had stayed silent for the sake of the team. His words made it clear that he had lost all trust in his coach.

What could happen next?Following this fallout, Atalanta’s president is reportedly set to hold crisis talks with both Lookman and Gasperini. However, it seems unlikely that their relationship can be repaired, and Lookman is expected to leave the club in the summer.

Italian football legend Alessandro Del Piero has since defended Lookman, saying that mistakes happen in football and that he, too, would have been upset if his coach had publicly criticized him. With everything that has happened, it looks like Lookman’s time at Atalanta is coming to an end. The big question now is—where will he go next?