Ademola Lookman had a heated confrontation with his Atalanta manager Ivan Juric, which required intervention to separate the two during Wednesday night’s match.
The former Everton winger, along with Juric, displayed visible frustration on the sideline following Lookman’s substitution in the 75th minute of Atalanta’s Champions League game against Marseille.
As Lookman walked past Juric, it seemed he made a comment that prompted Juric to grab him by the arm while responding angrily. A staff member from Atalanta had to step in to diffuse the situation.
Atalanta ultimately secured a 1-0 victory over Marseille, thanks to an 89th-minute goal from Lazar Samardzic.
Lookman has previously played for Charlton Athletic, Fulham, and Leicester City, alongside his time at Everton, before making the move to Italy. Juric, meanwhile, managed Southampton last season, where he lasted just 107 days before the team was relegated from the Premier League.
This year has seen Lookman face several challenges at Atalanta. His former manager, Gian Piero Gasperini, criticized him as “one of the worst penalty takers” he’d seen after Lookman missed a penalty during a Champions League match against Club Brugge. Gasperini remarked in February, “He has a frankly terrible record even in training, converting very few.” In response, Lookman took to social media to label Gasperini’s comments as “disrespectful.”
During the summer, Lookman attempted to leave Atalanta, but the club rejected interest from Inter Milan. He released a striking statement on social media, which read: “Numerous clubs have approached Atalanta in the past, and I have always remained loyal. However, there was an agreement with the club to allow my departure if a fair offer was made. Despite receiving an offer consistent with our discussions, the club is blocking the opportunity for reasons I do not understand. After months of broken promises and poor treatment, I feel I must publicly state that enough is enough and I’ve submitted a formal transfer request.”
Ultimately, Inter dropped their pursuit of Lookman, leaving him at Atalanta, which currently sits 11th in Serie A.
This altercation with Juric marks the latest chapter in Lookman’s three-year journey with Atalanta.