After Atalanta’s goalless draw against Celtic in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, manager Gian Piero Gasperini shed light on his decision to substitute Ademola Lookman for the second match in a row.
The Nigerian forward was substituted at halftime in his most recent Serie A match and withdrawn after 68 minutes in the third Champions League game.
Pay Attention: Get the best tips from our Bet of the day
Lookman’s performance against Celtic
Lookman had started the game brightly, nearly helping his team to an early lead within the first minute when he linked up well with Mateo Retegui, only for Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel to block his shot from the edge of the box.
Atalanta’s best opportunity to break the deadlock came in the 18th minute when Mario Pašalić’s powerful header smashed against the crossbar, and his follow-up attempt narrowly missed the target.
Gasperini explained that Lookman’s recent international commitments with Nigeria had taken a toll on his physical condition.
The Super Eagles were stranded at an airport for over sixteen hours before their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Libya, only returning to Abuja after intervention from the Nigerian government.
What Giasperini said
According to SOS FANTA, Gasperini said,
“I tried to make a change with the substitutions, bringing in fresh players like Samardzic and Cuadrado, but it wasn’t easy. We perhaps overdid it with the crosses in the first half and weren’t precise enough in finishing.
”Retegui and Lookman, for example, gave a lot, but they were coming from games with their respective national teams, and it’s not easy to always maintain the same intensity.”
Lookman’s form has attracted attention recently, with the forward earning a nomination for the IFFHS Men’s World Best Player 2024, alongside his Nigerian teammate, Victor Osimhen.
