By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Atalanta head coach Ivan Jurić has voiced support for Ademola Lookman, backing the Nigerian forward to rediscover his scoring touch amid a frustrating goal drought that continued in their goalless draw at the New Balance Arena on Tuesday night.
The Serie A side dominated large spells of the UEFA Champions League clash, creating several clear chances but failing to convert, extending their run of missed opportunities in Europe.
Speaking after the match, Jurić lamented his side’s lack of efficiency in front of goal, insisting that their inability to finish off chances is costing them valuable points.
“I think we have quality players. Besides Scamacca, who can be devastating, we also have players like Lookman and Krstovic who often get close to scoring,” Jurić said.
“Right now, we’re lacking clarity in the final meters. Ademola is usually devastating between the third and fifth steps, when he’s at full speed, but lately we haven’t been able to use him as effectively as we know. We need to be calmer and more decisive there.”
Jurić emphasized that the club remains patient with Lookman, confident the Nigerian international will soon rediscover the spark that made him one of Atalanta’s standout performers last season.
The stalemate leaves La Dea still searching for consistency in the final third, as both coach and fans grow increasingly eager to see Lookman and his teammates turn dominance into decisive results.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
