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<p>Atalanta manager <a target="_blank" href="https://gistreel.com/tag/gian-piero-gasperini"><strong>Gian Piero Gasperini</strong></a> has insisted he never intended to offend <strong>Ademola Lookman</strong> with his criticism of the Nigerian forward’s penalty-taking abilities.</p>
<p>Following Atalanta’s Champions League elimination by Club Brugge, Gasperini publicly criticized Lookman for missing a crucial penalty, calling him “one of the worst penalty takers” he had ever seen.</p>
<p>The remarks sparked backlash, with Lookman deeming them disrespectful, forcing the club to intervene in an attempt to ease tensions.</p>
<p>Speaking in a press conference, Gasperini sought to clarify his comments, praising Lookman’s impact in the match and insisting there was no internal conflict at Atalanta.</p>
<p>“My words were never meant to be offensive,” Gasperini stated. “Lookman had an extraordinary impact against Brugge.</p>
<p>“I always speak in front of the whole team, and this was never even an issue within the club.”</p>
<p>Following his attempts to downplay the situation, Gasperini made a revelation about his future, suggesting his time at Atalanta could be coming to an end sooner than expected.</p>
<p>“At the end of the season, we’ll decide whether to let my contract run out or stop earlier,” he said. “There will be no further renewals or extensions.”</p>
<p>With Atalanta currently third in Serie A, Gasperini acknowledged the club’s success but hinted at a desire for greater ambitions, possibly with a different challenge elsewhere.</p>
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<p><a href="https://www.gistreel.com/i-didnt-mean-to-offend-lookman-gasperini-explains-criticism-of-nigerian-star/" previewlistener="true">Source link </a></p>

