Atalanta co-owner Stephen Pagliuca has admitted that head coach Gian Piero Gasperini made a mistake with his criticism of Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman but emphasized that the Italian remains a passionate and talented coach.
The controversy arose after Gasperini publicly criticized Lookman for missing a crucial penalty against Club Brugge in the Champions League, calling him “one of the worst” penalty-takers. The comment sparked widespread debate among fans and analysts.
Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, Pagliuca downplayed the incident, stressing the club’s commitment to collective responsibility.
“We want to put this situation behind us, and I think we have, considering the 5-0 victory [against Empoli],” he said.
“These matches are always intense. We love the passion with which they are played. We have a great coach, very passionate. He made a mistake by speaking about an individual. At Atalanta, with the Percassi family, we have a policy: if things go wrong, we take responsibility. We look at ourselves and how to improve.”
‘We are not proud of the incident’
Pagliuca acknowledged Lookman’s vital contributions to Atalanta’s strong season and reiterated the club’s stance on unity.
“The players are having an extraordinary season; we wouldn’t be where we are now without the contributions of Lookman, De Ketelaere, and the whole team. I should name them all.
“We faced Brugge without five key players, all injured. Gasperini’s reaction was emotional and unfortunate, and it was a mistake that went against our policy—something we are not proud of. But I repeat, Gasp remains a great coach.”
The controversy surrounding Lookman had raised concerns about the relationship between the coach and the player, with mixed reactions from fans and pundits.
Gasperini’s future uncertain
Beyond the Lookman issue, speculation continues over Gasperini’s long-term future at Atalanta. The 66-year-old coach has already stated that he does not plan to sign a contract extension, meaning he could leave in 2026 or at the end of the current season.
Pagliuca addressed this uncertainty, saying, “This is something Luca Percassi will handle. He takes care of these matters. We will do whatever Gasp believes is the best solution for him.”
Response to UCL exit
Atalanta rebounded from their Champions League elimination by Club Brugge with a dominant 5-0 win over Empoli, a result Pagliuca described as a much-needed morale boost in a highly competitive Serie A season.
