Stephen Pagliuca, co-owner of Atalanta, acknowledged that head coach Gian Piero Gasperini erred by publicly criticizing Ademola Lookman. Gasperini had expressed his frustration after Lookman failed to convert a penalty during La Dea’s Champions League loss to Club Brugge last week. In response, Lookman took to social media to describe his manager’s remarks as “disrespectful.” Pagliuca remarked, “We aim to move past this incident, and it seems we have, given our 5-0 win against Empoli,” as reported by Gazetta dello Sport. The intensity of these matches is always high. We appreciate the enthusiasm with which they are performed. We have an excellent coach who is very enthusiastic. However, he erred by commenting on a specific person. At Atalanta, under the leadership of the Percassi family, we adhere to a principle: when issues arise, we own up to our responsibilities. We examine ourselves and seek ways to enhance. Pagliuca also acknowledged the 27-year-old’s importance in the team’s success. “The players are experiencing an incredible season; our current position is largely due to the efforts of Lookman, De Ketelaere, and the entire team.” “I should list them all,” he continued. “We went up against Brugge missing five important players, all due to injuries.”
