Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini has confirmed that Ademola Lookman will be available for their crucial UEFA Champions League play-off second leg against Club Brugge.
The Nigerian winger has been sidelined for six games after sustaining a knee injury in training last month. However, after training with the squad on Sunday and Monday, he has been deemed fit enough for selection.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference, Gasperini announced that Lookman will start on the bench. “Lookman and Kolasinac have recovered and will be in the squad,” he said, as quoted by TMW. “Kolasinac will start, while Lookman could come on in the second half.”
The Italian coach also provided an update on his squad’s fitness, revealing concerns over defender Isak Hien. “Hien felt some fatigue in his adductor during our final training session. We’ll assess him further tomorrow,” he added.
Atalanta will be looking to improve on their first-leg performance, where they struggled in the opening half before creating chances after the break. “We need to play a much better game, at least two steps higher than the first leg,” Gasperini emphasized.
Lookman’s return is a major boost for La Dea, as the 27-year-old has been a key player this season, scoring 14 goals and providing seven assists in 24 appearances across all competitions.