Thu. Jul 31st, 2025

Gasperini Explains Hug with ‘Fantastic’ Lookman: ‘He Can Be the Captain’

Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini embraced Ademola Lookman following their dominant 4-0 victory against Juventus on Sunday and lauded the Nigerian striker after the match. He stated his belief that Lookman has the potential to become captain before the season concludes.

Lookman contributed a goal during Atalanta’s commanding 4-0 triumph over Juventus in Turin.

He was substituted in the 80th minute and shared a hug with his coach, Gasperini, on the sideline.

“When a group of people spends 300 days a year together, different perspectives can arise,” Gasperini commented at the post-match press conference.

He added, “Lookman evolved into a fantastic player by enhancing his understanding of team dynamics. Initially, his approach was more individualistic. Not that he was problematic, but his focus was primarily on personal performance. He has elevated Atalanta, and Atalanta has, in turn, elevated him. I am convinced of his capacity to be captain before this season ends.”

Gasperini and Lookman previously had a disagreement after the Nigerian international missed a penalty in a Champions League match against Club Brugge in February.

By Vihaan Mehrotra

In the heart of Bangalore lives and works Vihaan Mehrotra, one of modern India's most insightful sports analysts. His childhood passion for cricket and field hockey evolved into a successful career. His daily column in Bangalore's digital media covers all significant world sporting events, from cricket matches to badminton tournaments. As a sports betting expert, he developed his own methodology for analyzing team statistics. His IPL match predictions are renowned for their 75% accuracy rate.

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