African Footballer of the Year Ademola Lookman will miss Atalanta’s UEFA Champions League clash with Barcelona today, after suffering a knee injury in training and could potentially keep him out of action for one month.
The Serie A club confirmed in a statement that the 27-year-old forward had hurt the lateral joint in his right knee and won’t travel to Spain for the crucial tie.
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the Nigerian international is also set to miss several Serie A matches, with “recovery plan to be determined after more tests in the upcoming hours/days.”
Lookman’s absence will be a significant blow for Atalanta, with the forward having scored 14 goals and provided six assists across all competitions this season.
The former RB Leipzig star has been instrumental to Atalanta’s impressive campaign, with Gian Piero Gasperini’s side still in the Serie A title race, while sitting seventh in the 36-club league phase of the Champions League.
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A win at the already-qualified Barcelona is crucial for Atalanta to avoid dropping into the play-off spots, but they must now do so without their Nigerian talisman, who famously scored a historic hat-trick in last season’s Europa League final triumph over Bayer Leverkusen.
An injury that comes at a time when speculation surrounds Lookman’s future at the club, with Atalanta President Antonio Percassi recently stating they would do “all they can” to keep the €50m-rated forward beyond the summer when his contract expires in June 2026.
The newly crowned African Player of The Year has attracted interest from several top European clubs, including Paris Saint-Germain, following his remarkable form since joining Atalanta for €10m in 2022.
