Atalanta Drop Ademola Lookman From Champions League Squad To Face Paris Saint-Germain

• Ademola Lookman dropped from Atalanta’s Champions League squad to face PSG amid tension with new coach Ivan Juric
• Juric says he needs players fully committed to the club, refusing to beg the Super Eagles forward to return
• Despite Lookman’s absence, Atalanta are unbeaten this season and remain within touching distance of the top four

Ademola Lookman’s future at Atalanta looks uncertain after head coach Ivan Juric confirmed the Nigerian forward has been left out of the squad to face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.

Juric, who took charge of La Dea this summer, made it clear that the Super Eagles forward must show more commitment if he wants to play for the club again.

Lookman has not featured for Atalanta this season after pushing for a move to Inter Milan, a transfer that never materialised, and the Nigerian will play no part against the reigning Champions League winners, Daily Post reports.

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Juric gives Lookman the condition to return

Juric’s comments were blunt as the coach explained that he would not plead with Lookman to return to action, saying he needs players who are ready to fight for the shirt.

“Lookman in Paris? I think not,” Juric said..

“The situation is unpleasant and not beautiful. We need players who are ready and want to give a lot to the shirt.”

The decision caps a difficult few months for Lookman, who after scoring 20 goals across all competitions last season, including five in seven Champions League games, the 2024 CAF Men’s Player of the Year winner chose to sit out training this summer in hopes of forcing a move to Inter.

Atalanta stood firm on their €50 million valuation, Inter walked away, and Lookman returned to Bergamo, only to find himself frozen out by the new coach.

Atalanta march on without Lookman

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Despite Lookman’s absence, Atalanta have made a solid start to the Serie A season.

The Bergamo club are unbeaten in three matches and sit sixth in the table, just one point behind Roma.

Lookman’s exclusion from the current Atalanta squad does not come as a surprise despite his impact over the past three seasons.

The Super Eagles winger has scored 52 goals in 117 appearances for the club and famously hit a hat-trick in the 2024 Europa League final, helping Atalanta lift their first-ever European trophy.

Still, Juric appears intent on setting a strong tone early in his tenure.

By leaving one of Europe’s most dangerous forwards out of a crucial Champions League match against PSG, the coach is signalling that no player is bigger than the team, France 24 reports.

Whether Lookman can repair his relationship with Atalanta remains to be seen, but his contract runs until June 2027, and the Italian club are unlikely to let him leave cheaply.

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For now, his future remains on hold at Bergamo, and Atalanta are showing they can win without him.

Fans beg Atalanta on Lookman’s behalf

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Nigerians have reacted to coach Ivan Juric’s move to exclude Ademola Lookman from Atalanta’s match against Lecce.

Some fans are begging the Bergamo club to let the 27-year-old Nigerian leave after dropping him for all of their games since the new season kicked off.

Source: Legit.ng