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Ademola Lookman Vs Gian Piero Gasperini: WAR At Atalanta (Clip From Ep. 497)
1.3k Plays1 month ago
Despite scoring a brace when Atalanta smashed Empoli 5-0 away at the Serie A this weekend, Ademola Lookman and Gian Piero Gasperini seem to have far from buried the hatchet.
Nima Tavallaey and Carlo Garganese detail what has happened so far before analyzing and discussing how this impacts La Dea moving on this season as well as further on next season.
This is an extended clip from this week's free Monday episode of The Italian Football Podcast which is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube podcasts.
To listen to this & all other full episodes of The Italian Football Podcast (and support the show), go to Patreon.com/TIFP OR now also available on Spotify OR YouTube Memberships and sign up. Your support makes The Italian Football Podcast possible.
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Transcript
Introduction to Gasperini vs Lookman Conflict
00:00:03
Speaker
Welcome to the Italian Football Podcast. let's talk though nima about lookmen adamdeola luman v japiera geperini this week the war that has erupted between the the manager and the and the star player and it's not over after this game on the pitch Luckman scored two goals in this game, two class goals.
Lookman's Impact on Atalanta: A Rising Star?
00:00:24
Speaker
I mean, the dribble for the first goal, the way that he put his his studs over the boot to to take it to the round, the goalkeeper and then and then score. And then the second goal, step over to the left, finish with his left foot.
00:00:36
Speaker
i mean, magnificent. He was missed. first of all First of all, we can say that we can see how much he was missed in that tie against Club Rouge. If he'd have played both games against Club Rouge, would there have been a different outcome to that tie?
00:00:52
Speaker
I mean, we I think we've definitely seen the that Lukman, how much he elevates this Atalanta team. I mean, for me... I think there's an argument to say he's the best player in the league um this season.
00:01:06
Speaker
um I think he's magnificent, absolutely magnificent.
The Penalty Controversy and Public Criticism
00:01:10
Speaker
um But obviously the big talking point is what happened this week. We spoke about it a little bit on the Thursday show, and but it's still rumbling on, whereby...
00:01:20
Speaker
in the game against k Club Rouge. Atalanta got a penalty in the second half at 3-1. 3-1 down, 60th on the hour mark. and The penalty takers are usually Retigui. Second penalty taker is De Keteler.
00:01:34
Speaker
and um But Luckmann... stepped up to take the penalty. He missed it. It was saved. And after the game, the game finished 3-1, Atalanta went out.
00:01:45
Speaker
And after the game, Gasparini publicly criticised, well, not just criticised Flickman, he absolutely hammered him. saying that he's one of the worst penalty takers he's he's ever seen, ah slamming him for for taking the penalty when when there's two penalty takers before him.
Lookman's Response: Respect and Resilience
00:02:02
Speaker
um Lukman responded to that by putting out a statement on social media, which which I think both of us agreed was a really fantastic statement. It hit every right note. Yeah, it hit every right note. It basically said how disappointed he was, how he felt disrespected, but at the same time said that he will, how much he loves the club, loves the fans, and that he will keep playing for them and everything. And I thought it was great.
00:02:30
Speaker
Anyway.
Gasperini's Future with Atalanta
00:02:31
Speaker
And then Gasperini comes out. three days ago in a prega pre-game press conference or twoate two days ago, and says that he's not going to extend his contract with Atalanta.
00:02:44
Speaker
It expires in June 2026, and we have to decide whether or not we continue past this season. So essentially saying that he's going to leave Atalanta, maybe even at the end of this end of the
Criticism of Gasperini's Leadership Style
00:02:55
Speaker
season. yeah But he also said in that same pre-match press conference that he, yeah which is ridiculous if true, um if he really thinks this, he said that he um he didn't mean to offend Luckman.
00:03:09
Speaker
which which is ridiculous. I'm sorry. like if You can't say that he's the worst penalty taker of ah of of a player that you've ever had in your life. He can't even score in inra in training. And let's say that you meant no offence. I mean, are you are you serious? What happened is you embarrassed yourself.
00:03:27
Speaker
You made yourself look like an idiot by saying that he took a penalty he took the penalty off his teammates, which he didn't because evidently... you You just confirmed by saying that, that Lukman was given it to given the the ball to take the penalty by designated penalty takers, and he stepped up and took the responsibility.
00:03:45
Speaker
Now, the you know you this this is what he does. that is This is why I think he can't work at a big club. he can read Everyone can read situations wrong, but when he does, he gets he he over-exaggerates. He doesn't need to say things like the worst penalty taker of a player I've ever had.
00:04:04
Speaker
He doesn't need to say these things. And when he does say these things, and it turns out that he completely got all the facts wrong, that Luckman didn't take the penalty, um from from anyone, but was offered it to by his teammates, then he can't even come out and apologize. And instead digs his heels in and says, no, I wasn't even offended. I wasn't offending him. I don't understand why he's offended. bla i mean, it's just, this is why he can't, this is why he couldn't work. This is why he will never be at a big club.
00:04:32
Speaker
And he can't work with big players. You can't humiliate big players like that. And Adamullah Lukman is a big player.
Lookman's Professionalism Amidst Controversy
00:04:39
Speaker
And I think Adamullah Lukman has shown unbelievable maturity confidence class by the way that he handled this.
00:04:47
Speaker
I mean, you know... And showing also that didn't affect his performance. because Absolutely not. He scores two goals. Exactly. I mean, he has shown that he is a model professional, that he is... This is how you behave.
00:05:00
Speaker
He has done everything perfectly. He's won this war with Gasperini by TKO. Brilliant. but just to Just to finish it finish off, the at the end of this game, Gasparini in his post-match, again, he praised, to be fair to Gasparini, Lukman and said what an incredible player he extraordinary player, fantastic, you know which is great.
00:05:26
Speaker
But he also doubled down by saying that you know he's he stands by what what he said in the sense that He didn't like that he took the penalty he did he took the the the penalty off the off the other players, even though Lukman said that the other players were ah like Retigui and Deketelé wanted him to take the penalty.
00:05:47
Speaker
And Gasparini said that and he thought that a great champion like Lukman should have basically said to them, no, no, you take the penalty. He was like... Which is, you know. I mean, that is stupid. That's stupid.
Gasperini's Dictatorial Leadership: Does It Affect Team Dynamics?
00:06:04
Speaker
Luckman, just to fit for finish it, Luckman in his post-match um ah to the to this gaming it's caught this game against, who did they beat 5-0? I can't even remember now. Empoli. Empoli. His post-Empoli game is so exhausting.
00:06:17
Speaker
um He was asked at the end, you know, it all over now? Have you buried the hatchet with Gasparini? And Luckman basically didn't answer. And then as he was walking away, he he said, finished?
00:06:30
Speaker
Like, question you know like look you know, finished? As in, you know, basically saying it's not over between them. Of course it's not. Yeah, there's clearly issues there. won And it won't be over because until Gasperini apologizes, and Gasperini is a stubborn old mule, he's never going to apologize. This is who he is.
00:06:49
Speaker
You know, this is someone he threw Papu Gomez out of the club. he he he he He goes to war with players. I mean, this is the character he is. I mean, we all remember, I know it's funny and ha-ha-ha, but we all remember him getting into a into an argument with fans ah from his car throwing panini at them. I mean, it's like this this is who he is, you know?
00:07:12
Speaker
like We've all seen that. Like, this is the character that he has. This is who he is. He doesn't admit mistakes. He's very, very Italian old school, even though the football he plays is very modern.
00:07:23
Speaker
Similar to Sarri, his leadership style is archaic. I've met Gasparini and he was a really, really lovely guy. But obviously his man management with his squad is is just not it. I'm sorry, but these dictatorial things that he does and and you know telling say you know to telling players that they can't ride together to to work. It was a Hoyland who drove nicola ah who who drove mela to...
00:07:48
Speaker
or the other way around, one of them drove the other to training, and Gasparini was furious at them for they were for they were carpooling together. That's right, yeah. Because he wanted the players to to to drive alone and focus. I mean, what the hell, dude? Yeah. I mean, it's like, who cares? He definitely has a bit of a weird weird side to him, doesn't he? Dictatorial things. I mean, what what does this mean? wants to dictate to the players how they walk, talk, eat, breathe, drives, the sleep shit.
00:08:14
Speaker
I mean, dude... like what what what What this means, though, this doesn't change anything about Luckman's future. No, he's going to leave in the summer. Gaspardini's will see. Look, Luckman, I can tell you, Luckman was always going to leave at the end of the season. yeah Whatever happens, and that that's been decided. When he nearly left last summer, so PSG didn't play those games that start the season. It was agreed with him, stay one more season, we'll sell you at the end of season. So...
00:08:38
Speaker
that this doesn't change anything that the only concern I had, which I said before the game was, is this going affect Atalanta? Is this going to affect Lukman's performance? Or is it going to select the selection, the the selection process of of Gasparini?
00:08:51
Speaker
I think we had that, those questions answered. It's not going to affect at all because Lukman is a model professional who understands is very mature and understands that he needs to deliver week on week out, regardless of who the manager is and his ridiculous behavior.
00:09:05
Speaker
and that he has won this war. Lukman is in in a fantastic position.
Lookman's Expected Departure: End of an Era?
00:09:09
Speaker
He has shown throughout this entire ordeal how how a champion behaves, a true champion behaves, and his coach is made to has made himself look like an idiot and is stubborn and refuses to apologize.
00:09:22
Speaker
Lukman doesn't need to do anything. He just needs to continue being a professional, being calm, delivering in training, delivering on the pitch, And, you know, by the end of the seven then after the end of the season, if they do write history and win a true wind the Scudetto, it's like the most epic mic drop moment ever.
00:09:40
Speaker
I'm out. Goodbye. um you know I gave you ah won you the league. I won you the Europa League. I'm out of here. and And that's that.
00:09:50
Speaker
Yeah, that is that.