By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Atalanta head coach Ivan Juric has commended Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman for his performance in the team’s 0-0 Serie A draw against Lazio, marking Lookman’s first league start of the season.
During his post-match press conference, Juric highlighted the positive contributions of Lookman and fellow attacker Ederson, noting their significant roles in Atalanta’s attacking play.
“He has improved a lot. Ademola put a lot of good balls up front and created a few chances,” Juric said.
“Today we saw the real Ederson and we can move forward with confidence: they both played a great game.”
Juric praised Lookman’s attitude and resilience, especially considering the challenging summer the Nigerian international endured amid transfer uncertainties.
“Lookman showed strong character and maturity under pressure. Despite off-field distractions, his determination to stay focused and deliver for the team was commendable,” Juric added.
Lookman’s season had been clouded by controversy after he missed training in protest when Atalanta rejected a €40 million plus add-ons offer from Inter Milan during the pre-season.
The coach’s positive assessment suggests Lookman is gradually regaining his confidence and sharpness, crucial as Atalanta aims to push forward in Serie A.
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.
