Ademola Lookman hits back at coach Gasperiniâ??s "disrespectful" penalty criticism

Nigeria forward Ademola Lookman has expressed disappointment over Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperinis remarks branding him as one of the worst penalty takers he has seen.Lookman, who scored just 34 seconds after coming on as a half-time substitute, missed a crucial penalty in Atalantas 3-1 defeat to Club Brugge on Tuesday, leading to their Champions League elimination.Gasperini did not hold back in his post-match comments, stating: Lookman was not supposed to take that penalty. He is one of the worst penalty takers I've ever seen. He has a frankly terrible record even in training, he converts very few of them.The Italian coach added that teammates Mateo Retegui or Charles de Ketelaere should have taken the spot-kick, criticizing Lookman for taking responsibility.In response, Lookman defended himself on social media, calling the criticism deeply disrespectful.Being singled out in the manner I have been not only hurts but feels deeply disrespectful, not least because of the immense hard work and commitment I have always put in each and every day to help bring success to this club and to the incredible fans of Bergamo, he wrote.The 27-year-old forward clarified that he was instructed by the designated penalty taker to take the spot-kick.Before Tuesdays miss, Lookman had a perfect penalty record for Atalanta, converting all four attempts. His overall professional record now stands at four successful penalties out of six, including a high-profile Panenka miss for Fulham in 2020.Despite the Champions League disappointment, Lookman has been in fine form, scoring 15 goals this season, including a hat-trick in Atalantas Europa League final win over Bayer Leverkusen last year. Read Full Story