Atalanta coach Ivan Juric confirms Ademola Lookman will probably be left out of the Champions League trip to Paris Saint-Germain due to his lack of commitment in training.
Atalanta coach Ivan Juric has confirmed that Ademola Lookman will likely be left out of the squad for the upcoming Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain. Juric cited Lookman’s lack of commitment in training as the reason for his potential exclusion.
The Nigerian international has been embroiled in controversy this summer, abandoning training for over two weeks after failing to force through a transfer to Inter Milan.
Lookman’s attitude has been unimpressive since his return to Atalanta, and Juric seems to have lost patience with the player. “We need players who want to be there, it’s an unpleasant situation,” Juric said after Atalanta’s 4-1 Serie A victory over Lecce.
Despite Lookman’s key role in Atalanta’s Europa League victory in 2024, Juric believes the club needs players who are committed to the team.
Juric emphasized that Atalanta gave a lot to Lookman, but the player needs to reciprocate that commitment. “He gave a lot to Atalanta, but Atalanta gave a lot to him too. We need players who are ready and want to be there, who care about the club and want to improve,” Juric said. The coach doesn’t think Lookman will be part of the squad for the PSG match, stating, “I don’t think so, it’s an unpleasant situation, it is really not good.”
Atalanta will face a tough challenge against PSG, whom Juric described as “the strongest team in the world at this moment.”
Juric is confident that his team can have a say in the match, but they need to be perfect and hope that PSG is not at their best. The match promises to be an exciting encounter, with Atalanta looking to make a statement in the Champions League.
The Champions League match against PSG will be Juric’s debut as a coach in the competition. He expressed his excitement, saying, “It will be a special moment for me too, as it is my debut in the Champions League as a coach.” Atalanta will need to be at their best to compete against PSG, and Juric will be looking for his team to perform well without Lookman.
Atalanta’s current form has been promising, with a 4-1 win over Lecce in their latest Serie A match. However, they will need to improve significantly to compete against PSG. With Lookman unlikely to feature, Juric will need to find alternative solutions to strengthen his squad.
