Brendan Rodgers knows Ademola Lookman is Atalanta’s main threat

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The Celtic Star

·23 ottobre 2024

Brendan Rodgers knows Ademola Lookman is Atalanta’s main threat

Brendan Rodgers has identified his former player Ademola Lookman as Atalanta’s main threat ahead of this evening’s Champions League encounter in Bergamo…

Brendan Rodgers Celtic, Head Coach UEFA Champions League Press Conference. Photo : BEAUTIFUL SPORTS/Buriakov

Rodgers on Lookman

The duo spent a season together whilst at Leicester City during the 2021/2022 campaign where Rodgers guided the Foxes to a more than respectable 8th place finish in the English Premier League.

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Having had various loan spells at Fulham, Leipzig and Leicester, the exceptional Nigerian winger has become an Atalanta legend since arriving in Italy two years ago. His reported fee of €15 million from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig looks like steal of the century.

Famously netting a hat-trick in May at the Dublin Arena in the Europa League final against German title-holders Bayer Leverkusen, the 27 year-old established himself in the history books of continental club football. Gian Piero Gasperini’s team lifted the trophy with Lookman becoming the first player to score a hat-trick in a European final since Pierino Prati for AC Milan back in 1969.

Rewarded for his stunning performances last season both in Serie A and the Europa League, Lookman has been shortlisted for the Ballon D’or which will take place in five days time.

“He’s an absolutely brilliant young player”

His tricky, dynamic attributes will undoubtedly cause problems for the Hoops tonight, and Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers knows first-hand the dangers Lookman can pose, “he’s an absolutely brilliant young player. We stayed in contact and when I was at Leicester, we wanted to bring in another winger and inquired about his availability when he was at Red Bull.

Ademola Lookman of Atalanta BC reacts during the Serie A match between Bologna and Atalanta at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara on September 28, 2024 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

“The hat-trick in the final last year was absolutely amazing”

“And he came in and he was absolutely brilliant for me in that season, he was there, he scored some outstanding goals. I remember a great individual goal against Liverpool.”

Ademola Lookman of Atalanta BC looks on during the Serie A match between Bologna and Atalanta at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara on September 28, 2024 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

“When he came to Leicester, you could see everything he was. He leads his life in the right way. Everything is geared towards being the best he can be.

“Watching him in that Europa League final, the goals he scored were not by accident. He’s so balanced. He can shoot up his right foot the same as his left foot. He’s an absolutely incredible young professional. To see him score the hat-trick in the final last year was absolutely amazing.”

Atalanta a tough challenge for Celtic

Celtic will have to be on their A game in order to stop this free-flowing Atalanta side and in particular their main man, Ademola Lookman.

A similar performance to the one on display against Dortmund would result in further European away catastrophe. It is about time the Hoops got their act together on the road in the Champions League and mustered up a performance to remember.

Let’s hope tonight is that night.

Conor Spence