I didn’t mean to offend Lookman, says Atalanta’s Gasperini

Atalanta manager, Gian Gasperini, has stated that his intention was not to offend Super Eagles forward, Ademola Lookman, with his penalty miss remark after the club crashed out of the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday.

He stated this on Saturday during the pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday’s clash with Empoli in the Serie A.

Lookman, who scored 36 seconds after coming on as his team were losing 3-0 at home, failed to convert a penalty kick on 61 minutes in the knockout playoff round with Club Brugge.

However, the penalty loss and the 3-1 loss attracted the ire of Gasperini, who described the winger as “one of the worst penalty-takers” he has ever seen.

Reacting in a statement via his Instagram story on Wednesday, Lookman fired back at his coach, saying that Gasperini’s words were “deeply disrespectful.”

Addressing journalists ahead of Sunday’s match, Gasperini said he did not mean to offend the 28-year-old.

The 66-year-old also said Lookman had an “extraordinary impact” and further revealed that he expected the free-scoring attacker to add penalty goals to his arsenal.

He said, “The player [Lookman] felt offended, but I did not mean to offend anyone. Lookman came on in an extraordinary way against Brugge, his gesture, even if generous, doesn’t change what my idea is.

“I would have liked a strong player like him to have made a gesture towards De Ketelaere [the club’s assigned penalty taker] saying “come on, keep the ball, put it in.

“He can become a penalty taker, and it would be an additional scoring ability.”

Speaking further, Gaspaerini said he might quit the club at the end of the season or leave when his contract with the Bergamo club ends next year.

“I don’t have much time left to do this; maybe this is the last chance. As has been said, there’s a beginning and an end,” he said.

“At the end of the year, we’ll see whether to let the contract run out or stop earlier, but there definitely won’t be any continuity. There will be no further renewals or extensions.”