Fans Outraged as Atalanta Coach Pushes Ademola Lookman During Champions League Clash
Ademola Lookman’s night in the Champions League turned bitter despite Atalanta’s dramatic late win over Marseille, after the Nigerian star clashed with his coach Ivan Juric in a shocking touchline incident.
Lookman started the match as Atalanta pushed to recover from a poor start in Europe, having won only one of their opening three games. The first half was largely uneventful, and Lookman — who recently scored against AC Milan — struggled to find space or rhythm. Early in the second half, he appeared to have put Atalanta ahead, but his goal was ruled out for offside.
In the 74th minute, Juric substituted Lookman for Yunus Musah. As the forward walked off, TV cameras caught a heated exchange between the two men before Juric was seen pulling and pushing him. Team staff quickly intervened to calm the situation.
The incident quickly overshadowed the victory and dominated online discussions, with fans expressing outrage and calling the coach’s actions unacceptable. One fan posted, “Pure racism. He should leave the club asap!” while another said, “He should leave next transfer window. If he's still there after January then he's not serious.”
Lookman’s relationship with Atalanta has already been under scrutiny, following previous tension with former manager Gian Piero Gasperini, who once criticised him as “the worst penalty taker” he had seen. After failing to secure a move away during the summer, this latest altercation has reignited speculation about his future with the Serie A club.
Enobong Ernest
Dailysports's expert
