Digital Satellite Television (DSTV) has officially reacted to Gian Piero Gasperini’s comments over Nigerian international Ademola Lookman......CONTINUE READING THE ARTICLE FROM THE SOURCE>>>>>
The manager branded the forward as one of the worst penalty-takers ever, following his spot-kick miss in the UEFA Champions League.
Atalanta failed to turn around a 2-1 first-leg loss to Club Brugge as they were defeated 3-1 in Bergamo on Tuesday night.
It was already 0-3 at half-time with the visiting team showing class at the Gewiss Stadium.
Lookman, who had been out for about a month due to injury, was introduced at the start of the second half.
It took the Super Eagles star just seconds into the restart before he pulled one back to make it 3-1.
However, he had a chance to reduce the deficit further in the 60th minute, but his effort from the spot was saved by the goalkeeper.
There were no further goals during the encounter as Club Brugge cruised to the Round of 16 with a 5-2 aggregate win.
After the match, Atalanta boss Gasperini singled out the reigning African Player of the Year for blame. The manager told the post-match press conference as per GOAL:
“Lookman was not supposed to take that penalty, he is one of the worst penalty takers I’ve ever seen.
“He has a frankly terrible record even in training, he converts very few of them.
“Retegui and De Ketelaere were there, but Lookman in a moment of enthusiasm after scoring decided to take the ball and that was a gesture I did not appreciate at all.”
Meanwhile, football fans are furious with the comments from the football manager, with Ademola Lookman releasing a statement.
The 27-year-old stated that he feels deeply disrespected following the manager’s comments.
DSTV Nigeria backs Ademola Lookman
Broadcaster DSTV has also released a statement via its official social media handle, saying we back our own.
The sub-Saharan African direct broadcast satellite service owned by MultiChoice televises all 380 Serie A matches every season to their DStv and GOtv customers via SuperSport.
Following Ademola Lookman’s ordeal over Gasperini’s comments, DSTV Nigeria via its official X handle wrote:
“You touch one of us, you touch all of us! Ademola Lookman is our own—our pride, our blood! we stand with our own.”
Ademola Lookman played an important part in Nigeria’s quest at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.
The playmaker scored three decisive goals in the competition including a brace against Cameroon and a lone goal against Angola in the quarter-final.
Like Atalanta like Napoli?
Legit.ng earlier reported that only last season, Ademola Lookman ensured that Atalanta won the Europa League title for the first time in their history.
The incredible playmaker scored a hat-trick in their 3-0 win over German side Bayer Leverkusen in the final.