The Nigerian senior men’s national team, the Super Eagles, have rallied round forward Ademola Lookman after he was publicly criticized by Atalanta manager, Gian Piero Gasperini, for missing a penalty in a UEFA Champions League defeat against Club Brugge.
In a show of solidarity, the official Super Eagles Twitter handle quoted Lookman’s statement on the controversy with a brief but powerful message: “We are with you, Ade.”
This gesture underscores the team’s support for Lookman amidst the criticism.
Responding to Gasperini’s remarks, Lookman described the coach’s public rebuke as “deeply disrespectful.”
“Being singled out in the manner I have been not only hurts but feels deeply disrespectful, not least because of the immense hard work and commitment I have always put in each and every day to help bring success to this club and to the incredible fans of Bergamo,” Lookman said.
The 26-year-old also clarified that he had not defied team instructions, revealing that the club’s designated penalty taker had asked him to take the spot-kick.
“During the match, the designated penalty taker instructed me to take the penalty and to support the team, I took responsibility in the moment to do so,” Lookman explained.
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