Atalanta, the parable of Ademola Lookman: from talent to hero of the final thanks to the Gasp treatment
The Anglo-Nigerian, who has exploded in the last two seasons in Bergamo, thanks his coach: "With him I started to think about football in a different way"
Bergamo, 23 May – The hero of Atalanta's European feat and he, Ademola Olajede Lookman, best player of the final in Dublin, absolute star with the hat trick, the hat-trick, which knocked out a modest version of Bayer Leverkusen. Born in 1997, 27 years old in October, born in London, raised in English football, British international until 18 before choosing the Nigerian passport, this is the profile of Lookman, in Bergamo from summer 2022. Another 'underdog' discovered by the watchful eyes of the internet international observers from Atalanta and picked up in a blitz by Percassi just 14 million from Leipzig. Crystalline talent in the youth team, as a professional in the Premier League he was a bit lost, not keeping his promises between Everton, Charlton and Fulham. Just as a young bench player with Everton in autumn 2017 he had crossed paths with the Goddess in the Europa League group with two defeats for the 'Toffies': 3-0 in the first leg in Reggio Emilia and 5-1 in the return leg in Liverpool. Then an experience in Bundesliga at Leipzig and a subsequent one loan to Leicester with few goals and many doubts about his high-level profile: only 11 goals between 2020 and 2022, just 18 from 2017 to 2022.

“When he came to us he was halfway between an attacker and a more defensive player,” Gasperini recalled. Which he suffered moved forward to make the best use of its technical and ballistic skills. Nerazzurri scorer last year with 15 goals, similar seasonal haul since last night (but this year he missed all of January for the Africa Cup of Nations) and second best scorer with Koopmeiners, but behind the striker Scamacca at 18. Thirty goals in two years in Bergamo, against the 18 scored in the previous six years, the numbers of his evolution speak clearly. “Here in Bergamo for the last two years the club and the coach supported me, giving me minutes and encouraging me to play the attacking football that the club wants, a football that is good for me. We played great football. I am grateful to Mister Gasperini: His intensity is incredible, from training to the conversations you have with him. You understand the expectations he has in you, I started thinking about football differently from the first time I spoke to him. I'm really grateful to him, he's done a lot for me and for the club, I'm grateful to him," Lookman explained on Wednesday evening after his hat-trick in the final in Dublin.
Continua a leggere tutte le notizie di sport su