Atalanta head coach, Gian Piero Gasperini, has confirmed that winger Ademola Lookman will be sidelined for approximately three weeks due to an injury.
The Nigeria international sustained a left knee injury during Monday’s training session, just days before Atalanta held Barcelona to a 2-2 draw in the UEFA Champions League at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys on Wednesday night.
While acknowledging that Lookman had been carrying the issue since the game against Napoli, Gasperini remains hopeful for a quicker recovery.
He noted that the reigning Men’s CAF African Player of the Year would be sidelined for approximately three weeks.
“It was more or less what was expected, he had been carrying this problem over from the match against Napoli. He played on it and the feeling is that everything could have gone well, but yesterday he was having discomfort and the tests gave a prognosis of three weeks. Let’s hope it’s less long,” the Italian manager told Tutto Atalanta.
Lookman is expected to miss several key fixtures for Atalanta. In February, the club will take on Torino, Verona, Cagliari, and Empoli in Serie A, along with a crucial Coppa Italia quarter-final showdown against Bologna.
The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) silver medallist has netted 14 goals with six assists in 26 appearances for the Bergamo outfit this season.
Lookman’s injury could also see him miss the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe in March.
