Atalanta footballer Ademola Lookman responded to public attacks from his coach Gian Piero Gasperini after the elimination from Bruges in the Champions League, FOCUS reported.
Lookman scored a goal, but missed a penalty, and after the match the coach explained to him that he should not have taken the penalty kick at all. Gasperini even called his player "one of the worst penalty takers" he had ever seen.
"It saddens me that on such a day I have to write such a message, especially because of everything we have achieved together as a team and as a city. "To be named in the way I was is not only hurtful, but it feels deeply disrespectful, not least because of the enormous hard work and selflessness I have always shown every day to bring success to the club and the fans in Bergamo," Lookman wrote in X.
The Nigerian said that the team must always be defended.
"To be honest, I have had many difficult moments during my time here, but I have never spoken about most of them because in my opinion the team must be protected and must always come first. That makes what happened last night even more painful."
Regarding the penalty, Lookman explained: "The player who is supposed to take the penalty told me to take it. And to support the team, I took responsibility. Life is about challenges and turning pain into strength, which I will continue to do."
Lookmann was instrumental in winning the Europa League last season, scoring a hat-trick in the final against Bayer Leverkusen.