By Saheed Afolabi
Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini has credited the club’s Europa League triumph last season to the individual brilliance of Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman.
Lookman played a pivotal role in Atalanta’s success, scoring a hat-trick in the final against Bayer Leverkusen, a match that featured fellow Nigerians Victor Boniface and Nathaniel Tella.
Gasperini stressed that Lookman’s standout performance was crucial in helping the club secure the prestigious European title.
“We are in a good period of form in Italy and Europe,” Gasperini said in a recent press conference.
“I’m happy with the performances and results we are getting. Winning the Europa League last season helped us grow in confidence and self-belief.
“Many new players have arrived and are improving, but it was last season’s success, driven by players like Lookman, that set the tone.”
Gasperini went on to emphasize how Lookman’s contribution has been integral to Atalanta’s continued success, with the club currently sitting second in Serie A and performing strongly in the UEFA Champions League, where they are in fifth place.
Lookman’s impact on both domestic and European fronts has helped Atalanta remain competitive at the highest levels of club football, and Gasperini is clearly optimistic about the future with such influential players leading the charge.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career 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.
