Atalanta co-owner Stephen Pagliuca has acknowledged that head coach Gian Piero Gasperini made a mistake in publicly criticizing Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman. However, he also reaffirmed his confidence in the Italian manager’s passion and coaching abilities.
The controversy started after Gasperini strongly criticized Lookman for missing a crucial penalty in the Champions League match against Club Brugge. He labeled the forward as “one of the worst” penalty-takers, a statement that quickly sparked debates among fans and football analysts.
In an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, Pagliuca attempted to ease tensions, noting that the team had moved past the issue, especially following their dominant 5-0 victory over Empoli.
“We want to put this situation behind us, and I think we have, considering the 5-0 victory (against Empoli),” he said, as quoted by Football Italia on Tuesday.
Pagliuca also addressed the club’s philosophy regarding setbacks, stressing that Atalanta operates as a unit and does not single out individuals for blame.
“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.”
Despite the incident, Pagliuca praised Lookman’s contributions and emphasized the importance of teamwork in Atalanta’s success this season.
“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,” he said. “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.”
Beyond this controversy, speculation continues about Gasperini’s future at Atalanta. The 66-year-old has stated that he will not sign a contract extension, meaning he could leave at the end of the current season or when his contract expires in 2026.
