By Godwill Odilu
Atalanta’s Champions League hopes have taken a hit as Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman has been ruled out of their upcoming clash against Barcelona due to a knee injury.
The 27-year-old suffered the injury during training, damaging the lateral joint in his right knee.
Atalanta confirmed the news in a brief statement, revealing that Lookman won’t travel to Spain for Wednesday’s match.
The Serie A side is aiming to secure direct qualification for the Champions League last 16, but they’ll have to do it without their star man.
While the club hasn’t specified how long Lookman will be out, Italian media reports suggest he could miss up to a month of action.
Lookman has been a key player for Atalanta this season, contributing 14 goals and six assists.
His absence will be a massive blow, especially given his knack for stepping up in big moments.
Last season, he famously scored a hat-trick in the Europa League final to secure victory over Bayer Leverkusen.
Despite being a smaller club, Atalanta has consistently punched above its weight under manager Gian Piero Gasperini.
They’re still in the Serie A title race and performing well in the Champions League, currently sitting seventh in the 36-club league phase. However, with several teams just a point behind them, anything less than a win against already-qualified Barcelona could mean settling for a play-off spot.
Atalanta’s trip to Barcelona just got a lot tougher without Lookman. Can they pull off a surprise and keep their Champions League dreams alive?
It’s a tall order, but if there’s one thing Atalanta has shown us, it’s that they thrive as underdogs. Let’s see if they can rise to the occasion once again.
