Ademola Lookman blasted as 'one of the worst penalty takers I've ever seen' by Atalanta boss Gian Piero Gasperini following shock Champions League exit

Making his return from injury, Lookman had an immediate impact in the second leg of the round of 16 playoff tie, scoring just 42 seconds after being introduced in the second half. However, his efforts were not enough to overturn Atalanta’s deficit as the Serie A side had already fallen behind 3-0 at half-time against Club Brugge, leaving them with a mountain to climb.

Despite reducing the deficit, Lookman missed a crucial penalty when his attempt was denied by Simon Mignolet, effectively ending any hopes of a turnaround. Gasperini later revealed that Lookman was never meant to take the spot-kick, insisting that Charles De Ketelaere or Mateo Retegui were the designated takers.

Speaking in a post-match press conference, Gasperini did not mince his words regarding the Nigerian forward’s decision to take the penalty.

"Lookman was not supposed to take that penalty, he is one of the worst penalty takers I've ever seen," the Italian manager told reporters.

"He has a frankly terrible record even in training, he converts very few of them. Retegui and De Ketelaere were there, but Lookman in a moment of enthusiasm after scoring decided to take the ball and that was a gesture I did not appreciate at all."

Lookman’s penalty struggles are not new. Fulham fans may remember his infamous miss in November 2020, when he attempted a panenka in the 98th minute against West Ham, only for Lukasz Fabianski to make an easy save.

Although Retegui is Atalanta’s primary penalty taker, having converted two out of three spot-kicks in Serie A this season, Lookman had previously taken and scored one. However, Gasperini’s comments suggest that the manager has little faith in his ability from the spot.

Despite their Champions League disappointment, Atalanta still have plenty to fight for in domestic competition. They currently sit third in the Serie A table, five points behind league leaders Napoli. With their European campaign over, their focus now shifts to their upcoming league fixture against Empoli on Sunday, where they will aim to pick up the three points to keep their title ambitions alive.