Atalanta boss passes judgement on Lookman after first start since heated transfer saga

Atalanta manager Ivan Juric has given his assessment of Ademola Lookman’s performance after the Nigerian forward made his first start since his controversial summer transfer saga.

Lookman, who tried to push through a move to Inter Milan, returned to the lineup as Atalanta were held to another frustrating 0-0 draw, this time against Lazio.

Speaking after the match, Juric acknowledged Lookman’s contribution but lamented his team’s lack of finishing touch.

“I thought Ademola made the right moves and created a few chances. We also finally saw the real Ederson today, and this means we can look to the future with confidence,” he said.

Despite Lookman’s return, Atalanta were once again left without the end product to turn dominance into points. “It is a performance where we created lots of chances, there were situations where we could’ve done better and scored goals against a team that defended well,” Juric told reporters.

“These dropped points are starting to accumulate now, despite the performances being overall pretty good,” he added.

Atalanta remain the only unbeaten team in Serie A after seven games, yet their fifth draw of the campaign has begun to test the patience of both players and fans.

“We have ideas and good football, we are just missing the end product, the goals,” Juric concluded, highlighting the recurring issue that has plagued his side.

The draw came on a weekend when Roma, Napoli, and Juventus all suffered defeats, which will now be seen as a missed opportunity for Atalanta to gain ground.

With a crucial Champions League clash against Slavia Praha on the horizon, Juric will hope Lookman’s reintegration can spark the attacking edge La Dea have been missing.