UCL: Gian Gasperini confirms Lookman to start against Sturm Graz

By Monsurah Olatunji

Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini has confirmed that Ademola Lookman will be in the starting lineup for their crucial UEFA Champions League clash against Sturm Graz on Tuesday evening.

Despite entering the match as underdogs, Sturm Graz will look to challenge Atalanta, who have had mixed results in this season’s competition.

Atalanta has struggled at home in the Champions League, failing to win any of their three matches in Bergamo — drawing two goalless games and suffering a defeat to Real Madrid.

On the other hand, Sturm Graz has had a disappointing record against Italian sides in European competitions, with only one win in 14 encounters (D6 L7). Their lone victory came in the 2002/03 UEFA Cup, when they triumphed 1-0 over Lazio in Rome.

In preparation for the game, Gasperini has revealed his attacking options, with Lookman a key player in their push for a spot in the Round of 16.

The 27-year-old forward has had a challenging start to 2025, scoring just one goal in his last four appearances.

However, Lookman has been in stellar form this season, netting 10 goals and contributing five assists in Serie A, along with three goals and one assist in five Champions League matches.

Speaking to Sky Sport Italia via Tutto Atalanta, Gasperini confirmed Lookman’s place in the starting lineup, alongside other top attacking options.

“Retegui, Lookman, De Ketelaere, and Samardzic are the ones who are doing better,” Gasperini said.

“Charles is perhaps a bit off, Retegui has been out, and I’m happy with Samardzic, he’s a talented player who’s been coming out a lot lately. I have four, three of these four will play.”

With Atalanta’s qualification hopes on the line, Lookman will play a pivotal role in their bid to secure a vital win on home turf.

Samuel Ahmadu

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.

See Full Bio