Atalanta: a clash that will have heavy consequences

To get carried away by your emotions generally does not give way to anything good. Ask Pablo Longoria, taken in turmoil after his explosion of anger in Auxerre. In another style, Gian Piero Gasperini also created concerns about his own club, attacking Admola Lookman in the wake of the defeat against Bruges in the Champions League barrage. The Nigerian, author of a shattering entry when he returned from injury, had missed a penalty that could have gave hope to the Bergamasques, which had earned this acid commentary of his coach: “He shouldn't have drawn him, it is one of the worst penalty shooters that I have ever seen”.

Lookman had then responded on his social networks. “”It is with sadness that I must write this. To be targeted in the way I have not only been hurting me, but seems deeply disrespectful to me ”. A coach who targets one of his players is quite rare and Gasperini has obviously not finished paying his media overflow. Because if the Atalanta recovered from its European disillusionment this weekend by swallowing Emoli (5-0) with a double of Lookman, the case continues to talk.

The strong words of the co-president, and an inevitable rupture …

In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sportthe co-president of the Atalanta Bergame, Stephen Gerard Pagliuca, pointed out the error of Gasperini. “We have a great coach, very passionate. He made a mistake by speaking of an individual, because at the Atalanta, we have a policy: if things go bad, we take responsibility, we look at ourselves, how to do better. The players have an extraordinary season, we would not be where we are now if it was not like that, without the contribution of Lookman, Ketelaere … The whole team, I should quote them all. We faced Bruges without 5 important players, all injured. Gasperini's reaction was emotional, unhappy, an error that went against our policy and something we are not proud of. But I repeat, Gasperini remains a great coach ”.

A great coach who will not be retained more than that after the season … “Gasperini? If he does not want to prolong, we will recover ”thus dropped, the managing director of the Atalanta, Luca Percassi. We are talking there, however, of a coach present since 2016, who made Atalanta a reference on the Italian and European scene, still in the race for the title of champion this season. “I don't think I will extend my contract. We will see if we stop next June or at the end of my contract ”said the Italian, 67 years old, in recent days. European elimination and clash with Lookman have obviously broken something between the club and the coach.