Ademola Lookman Clashes with Atalanta Boss Juric in Champions League Match vs. Marseille, Video
- Ademola Lookman nearly came to blows with Atalanta manager Ivan Juric during their Champions League win over Marseille
- The incident occurred when Lookman was substituted in the 75th minute, leading to a heated sideline confrontation
- Social media erupted with reactions as the altercation highlighted underlying tensions and raised questions about squad harmony
Ademola Lookman almost came to blows with Atalanta manager Ivan Juric during the UEFA Champions League clash against Olympique de Marseille at Stade Vélodrome on Wednesday night.
The incident occurred in the 75th minute when Juric substituted the reigning African Player of the Year for Yunus Musah.
Source: Getty Images
Ademola Lookman-Ivan Juric confrontation
As Ademola Lookman left the pitch, he appeared to pass a remark, prompting Juric to grab his arm and confront the forward. The coaching staff quickly intervened to prevent the situation from escalating further, as noted by Italian outlet ANSA.
This incident comes amid an ongoing tension between Lookman and Atalanta’s hierarchy. According to Mundo Deportivo, the forward requested a transfer during the summer, but the club refused to sanction a move.
Juric has previously questioned Lookman’s commitment and attitude, and the substitution exchange reflected the residual strain between player and manager.
Source: Twitter
Despite the heated moment, Atalanta secured a late 1-0 win thanks to Lazar Samardzic’s 89th-minute strike, maintaining their Champions League hopes.
After the match, Juric sought to downplay the altercation, describing such substitution reactions as normal and insisting the matter would be handled internally.
The clash highlights challenges for both Juric and Lookman: the player must rebuild trust and focus, while the manager must manage squad cohesion to maintain momentum in the Champions League.
Watch the video of the heated incident below.
Fans' reaction to Lookman-Juric tension
Meanwhile, fans erupted online after Ademola Lookman’s heated clash with Ivan Juric. Social media was quickly filled with opinions, with supporters debating the forward’s attitude, the coach’s handling of the situation, and what it could mean for Atalanta’s season.
''The penalty issue and now being disrespected by a manager who hasn’t won anything in his career.. that has relegated Southampton and almost relegated Roma last season. Lookman is at a new low, someone needs to check on him.'' - @GoalGloberic.
''I totally agree. I think Ademola Lookman should consider leaving Atalanta before he ends up being treated the same way Osimhen was. Nigeria’s top-flight players shouldn’t be disrespected like that. For a moment, I thought it was my network acting up because of the downpour over here . Pooja, where did you even get this clip? I had to strain my pupils to see!'' - @Mudiaga247.
''He’s body language from the first minute screams I want to be out of here. I watched this game, he does not want to be here.'' - @GbeniAdeboye
''What did Ademola look man say? Did the coach just push him like that? It was obvious the coach stretched out his arm as a friendly sign to him and he passed by and muttered some words which made this coach do what he did. Do not make excuses for bad behavior.'' - @DominionKalu
Jose Mourinho and Mkhitaryan's feud
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported on another manager-player tension, with Jose Mourinho sending Manchester United player Henrikh Mkhitaryan daily messages urging him to leave the club when the Portuguese was in charge at Old Trafford.
The former winger described the texts as “grotesque,” revealing the feud that developed after his 2016 move from Borussia Dortmund.
Source: YEN.com.gh
