Nigeria, Feb. 19 -- Ademola Lookman has publicly responded to criticism from Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini following the team's 5-2 aggregate loss to Club Brugge in the UEFA Champions League. Gasperini singled out Lookman for taking a penalty, which he missed, in the tie's second leg.

Lookman, the reigning Atalanta player of the season and 2024 Africa Player of the Year, came on as a substitute, with Atalanta trailing 3-0. He scored 35 seconds into the second half but missed a penalty in the 61st minute that could have sparked an unlikely comeback.

Gasperini expressed his displeasure with Lookman's decision to take the penalty in a post-match press conference, stating that Lookman was not the designated penalty taker and had a "...