By Gloria Ogbonna
According to PUNCH Sports Extra, Atalanta's coach, Gian Piero Gasperini, expressed his desire for an early exit for Nigeria from the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations tournament to have Ademola Lookman swiftly back with the team.
Lookman's impactful performance in Atalanta's recent win against Lecce highlighted his value, but Gasperini is concerned about the team's attacking options in his absence.
Gasperini hopes Lookman, included in Nigeria's final squad for the AFCON tournament, remains injury-free during his national team duties after his crucial match-winning goal against Lecce. The winger's imminent departure leaves Atalanta with a gap to fill in their attacking lineup.
Despite Lookman's departure, Gasperini emphasized confidence in the available squad members, mentioning Muriel, Scamacca, De Ketelaere, Miranchuk, and Toure as potential candidates to step up in Lookman's absence.
While acknowledging the forthcoming challenge, Gasperini refrained from expressing a wish for Nigeria's failure but rather expressed a hope that Lookman's absence won't be prolonged and that he remains unharmed during the tournament.
Reflecting on the recent match, Gasperini commended Lecce's resilience, attributing the challenging final moments to the opponent's well-organized defense, which required patience and effort from his team to secure victory.
Punch
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