Atalanta Bergamo’s manager, Ivan Juric, has moved to calm the waters following a visibly tense touchline exchange with Nigerian international Ademola Lookman during their narrow 1-0 Europa League triumph over Olympique Marseille. The incident, which saw the former Leicester City winger substituted for American Yunus Musah in the 75th minute, threatened to overshadow a crucial European victory for the Italian side.
Lookman, who had been a persistent threat on the flank, appeared deeply frustrated as he made his way off the pitch at the Gewiss Stadium. His visibly agitated state prompted Manager Juric to approach him, with television cameras capturing the moment the coach grabbed Lookman’s arm. The situation required swift intervention from other members of the backroom staff, who stepped in to separate the pair and usher the player towards the bench.
Addressing the controversy head-on in his post-match press conference, Juric framed the altercation as an unfortunate but commonplace eruption of passion in the heat of competition. He assured reporters that the matter would be resolved internally, behind the closed doors of the locker room.
“It’s the usual thing we’ve been commenting on every Sunday. It happened with De Bruyne at Napoli — some players are not happy to be substituted, they don’t react well, and we sort these things out in the locker room,” Juric told Sky Sport Italia. He elaborated further, appealing for perspective and emphasising the collective good over individual emotions. “We all know these situations; we’ve all had them as players and as coaches they happen in the heat of the moment. What matters is Atalanta, the club, the team, and the fans. We do what is good for the team, and I think you need to give your all. I understand, I shake it all off, and we move forward.”
