Ademola Lookman continued his blistering Serie A form, sealing a dominant 4-0 win for Atalanta against Juventus in Turin on Sunday. The Nigerian forward, recently crowned African Footballer of the Year, scored his 13th league goal of the season and reached a personal milestone with his 50th goal for the club.
Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini was full of praise for Lookman after the match, stating:
“He made Atalanta great and Atalanta made him great. From now until the end of the season, he will also be able to wear the captain’s armband, to signify that Atalanta also has it tattooed on his skin.”
Lookman was heavily involved from the start, forcing an early block from Khéphren Thuram. Atalanta took the lead after Weston McKennie handled the ball inside the box, allowing Mateo Retegui to convert from the penalty spot.
Seconds into the second half, Atalanta struck again. Michele Di Gregorio denied Lookman, but Marten de Roon reacted quickly to bury the rebound and double the advantage.
Juventus, desperate to respond, introduced several changes but failed to break through Atalanta’s well-organized defense. The visitors extended their lead in the 66th minute when Sead Kolašinac and Davide Zappacosta combined, with Zappacosta applying the finishing touch to make it 3-0.
Lookman then put the icing on the cake in the final minutes. A slip from Dušan Vlahović gifted him the opportunity, and he made no mistake, slotting home Atalanta’s fourth goal.
Lookman’s goal was his 50th for Atalanta, adding to his 21 assists in 109 appearances. He has now scored against every top Italian club this season, including Juventus, AC Milan, Napoli, Lazio, and Fiorentina.
Despite previously criticizing Lookman’s penalty-taking ability, Gasperini acknowledged the forward’s transformation into a key player:
