Xabi Alonso’s unbeaten squad could only be destroyed by a superman in such a straightforward manner. It has taken Ademola Lookman some tough years in the Premier League to finally show off his talent.How do you defeat Xabi Alonso’s unbeatable squad? It turned out that the question for which Europe could not find an answer was rather straightforward. All Atlanta needs is a London-born guy with amazing acceleration and finishing ability.
Ademola Lookman, a 27-year-old player who plays for a side that makes the most of his ability, had a fantastic night in Dublin. The player is having a great season. The Nigerian international’s hat-tricƙ against Leverkusen made him the second player in history to score three goals in a European Cup final, following Pierino Prati of Milan in the 1969 C1 Cup match against Ajax.
When the Europa League final whistle blew, Lookman was praised as a hero by the Atalanta players. However, Lookman’s career also saw phases of trouble before reaching that moment of success.
November 7, 2020, to be precise, was just four years ago when Lookman experienced the lowest point of his career. When the Fulham striker missed a penalty ƙick in injury time against West Ham, with the team leading 0-1, the home crowd jeered and whistled.
Lukasz Fabianski, the goalie, comfortably caught the elegant panenka. Fulham supporters saw Lookman as a criminal due to his needless colorful finish.
That was the pinnacle of Lookman’s disappointing Premier League career. A talented winger who lacks the courage to take a hard stand in the top league in the fog kingdom.
After winning the 2017 U20 World Cup, Lookman was once regarded as a prominent English football star. With three goals that season, the player from London emerged as England U20’s shining star. Lookman, along with Dominic Solanke, Fikayo Tomori, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, is anticipated to become the England team’s future owner.
However, Lookman finds the Premier League to be too tough. This quick winger from Charlton wandered through Everton, Fulham, and Leicester without really making an impact. Two unremarkable seasons with RB Leipzig were interspersed, but they served as a catalyst for Lookman’s decision to play elsewhere.
The bright star of the 2017 U20 World Cup is no longer of interest to the British. Leicester declined to purchase Lookman outright in the summer of 2022 following the player’s respectable season (42 games, 8 goals) on loan from Leipzig. Lookman even made RB Leipzig turn away.
At that point, Lookman was presented with a new opportunity when Atalanta made an offer of 15 million euros. The attacker, who was born in Nigeria, discovered the perfect setting to hone his football skills. Lookman realized he had little chance with England at that point, so he decided to play for Nigeria instead.
Lookman unexpectedly rose to the top of the Bergamo team at Atalanta. Lookman scored 30 goals and provided 16 assists for a total of 46 goals in his two seasons with Atlanta. There isn’t another player from Atlanta who can match this accomplishment.
Lookman’s hat-tricƙ versus Leverkusen this season alone has helped him score 15 goals across all competitions. Gianluca Scamacca, the only striker, performed better with 18 goals. In passing, coach Gian Piero Gasperini said of Lookman, “He is a fast, strong, and extremely skillful player, a winger that any coach would covet.”
Gasperini was also a useful assistant to Lookman during his sublimation in Atalanta. In an effort to maximize his student’s effectiveness, the Atlanta captain made changes to Lookman’s diet and sleep schedule.
“I started eating simpler dishes like pasta, fish, veggies, and no sauce because of Gasperini. I used the cold room to rest and perform stretches after the game. Gasperini put a lot of pressure on me to fit into a framework. Regarding the Italian instructor, Lookman said, “And I have to thank him for that.”