The drama between Ademola Lookman and Gian Piero Gasperini shook Atalanta after the draw against Club Brugge in the Champions League. The Nigerian striker, who’s also the African Ballon d'Or winner, called his coach's words “disrespectful” after he was heavily criticized for missing a penalty.

Clash of Words

Lookman, a club hero after his historic hat-trick in the Europa League final, returned from injury on Tuesday and, just 34 seconds after coming on, scored to keep Dea’s hopes alive. But shortly after, he missed a penalty that could’ve changed the game.

After the match, Gasperini didn’t hold back:
"He shouldn't have taken it, clearly. I think he’s one of the worst penalty takers I’ve ever seen. In training, his percentage is super low, and he hits it badly," he said in the press conference.

These words didn’t sit well with the striker, who hit back on social media:
"Being singled out like this not only hurts me, but it's also deeply disrespectful. I've always worked hard to bring success to this club and to our amazing fans in Bergamo."

Tense Relationship at Atalanta

Lookman also hinted that this wasn’t the first time he’s faced difficulties under Gasperini:
"I’ve gone through a lot of tough moments here, most of which I’ve never spoken about, because the team must always be protected. That’s what makes what happened last night even more painful."

Despite the fallout, the striker made it clear he’ll keep pushing:
"Life is about challenges and turning pain into power, and I’ll keep doing that."

With this public fallout, the relationship between Lookman and Gasperini seems to be at an all-time low, raising doubts about the stability of Dea’s locker room at such a crucial point in the season.