Lookman to miss Atalanta's Champions League opener at PSG, says Juric / Photo: Isabella BONOTTO - AFP/File
Lookman to miss Atalanta's Champions League opener at PSG, says Juric
Ademola Lookman will sit out Atalanta's Champions League opener at Paris Saint-Germain as the Nigeria forward continues to be sidelined following a protracted attempt to leave the Serie A club, coach Ivan Juric said on Sunday.
Atalanta warmed up for Wednesday's clash with the European champions in Paris by beating Lecce 4-1 without star man Lookman, who hasn't featured this season after trying and failing to force a move to Inter Milan in the summer.
It was the second time in as many years that Lookman has tried to find the exit door after attempting to leave for PSG the summer after he helped win the Europa League for Atalanta in 2024.
"I don't think so, it's an unpleasant situation," said Juric when asked if Lookman would travel to the French capital.
"He has given a lot to Atalanta but Atalanta has given him a lot as well. We need players who are ready, who want to play for the shirt and improve... Looking ahead we'll see what happens."
London-born Lookman has become one of the best players in Europe since signing for Atalanta three years ago after a middling early career in England and Germany.
The 27-year-old has scored 52 times in 117 matches for Atalanta, most famously netting a hat-trick in last year's Europa League final, when the Bergamo club won their first European trophy by thumping previously unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen 3-0.
Lookman scored 20 times in all competitions last season with five coming in seven Champions League appearances, but he soured his relationship with the club by abandoning team training in the hope that Inter would meet Atalanta's asking price of 50 million euros.
That never happened and Lookman, whose contract doesn't expire until the end of June 2027, was forced to return to Atalanta, where he has since been frozen out by Juric who has replaced Gian Piero Gasperini in the dugout.
Atalants are unbeaten in their opening three matches in Lookman's absence this term, and sit sixth, one point behind Gasperini's new team Roma who fell to a shock 1-0 home defeat to Torino earlier on Sunday.
Charles De Ketelaere struck twice in the second half with Giorgio Scalvini and Nicola Zalewski netting Atalanta's other goals.
K.McMillan--EWJ
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