By Monsurah Olatunji
Atalanta head coach Gian Piero Gasperini and Nigerian striker Ademola Lookman have reconciled after a tense fallout earlier this year, sharing an emotional hug following Atalanta’s impressive 4-0 victory over Juventus on Sunday.
Lookman, the reigning African Player of the Year, played a key role in the team’s stunning win, scoring a goal before being substituted in the 80th minute.
As he made his way off the pitch, Gasperini embraced Lookman on the touchline, signaling the end of a long-standing tension between the two.
The rift between them began in February after Lookman missed a penalty that led to Atalanta’s elimination from the Champions League at the hands of Club Brugge.
However, Gasperini has since acknowledged Lookman’s growth and development as a player. The coach praised the Nigerian’s improved understanding of the team’s dynamics, which has turned him into a more effective and cohesive player.
“When a group spends 300 days together in a year, people can have different views,” Gasperini explained during the post-match press conference, as reported by Football Italia.
“Lookman became a fantastic player when he improved his perception of the team. He used to have a more individual approach.”
This embrace marks a fresh start for the duo, with Lookman continuing to shine at Atalanta.
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.
