De Roon: ‘Atalanta door is always open’ for outcast Lookman | OneFootball

Atalanta captain Marten de Roon assures ‘the door is always open’ for Ademola Lookman if he changes his attitude, and remembers the last time they faced Paris Saint-Germain.

The Champions League clash kicks off at Parc des Princes on Wednesday at 20.00 UK time (19.00 GMT).

Ederson, Gianluca Scamacca and Mitchel Bakker are out injured, but Lookman has been left behind for not having the right focus in training after failing to force through a summer exit to Inter.

epa11906162 Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman reacts after failing to score from the penalty spot during the UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-offs 2nd leg match between Atalanta BC and Club Brugge KV at the Bergamo Stadium in Bergamo, Italy, 18 February 2025. EPA-EFE/MICHELE MARAVIGLIA

As captain, did De Roon speak directly to the forward about this situation?

“I didn’t disturb him. I don’t want to use up too much energy over this situation. We are concentrated on the squad and the players who are here,” De Roon told Sky Sport Italia?

“We are here and the door is always open.”

De Roon hopes for better memories against PSG

TURIN, ITALY – MARCH 09: Marten de Roon of Atalanta celebrates scoring his team’s second goal with teammates during the Serie A match between Juventus and Atalanta at the Allianz Stadium on March 09, 2025 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)

Atalanta famously were minutes away from knocking Paris Saint-Germain out of the Champions League quarter-final in 2020 during a truncated tournament due to the pandemic, but were turned around in stoppages.

“I don’t like remembering that match. It was a very different atmosphere, without anyone in the stands, it was a sad period. Today it is totally different, this wonderful stadium will be full and we are facing the best team in Europe, which was not the case back then.

“They have a lot of quality and pace, so we’ll need the right hunger and determination to get a result. It is always possible, the ball is round and we start from 0-0, but it’s tough.

“PSG have won almost everything it was possible to win last season. However, we have already played in some difficult stadiums and proved we’re up to the task, so now we want to prove it for the first time under Ivan Juric. We need pride and grit to take on the best in Europe.”

Atalanta present their 2025-26 kit

Juric is the new coach at Atalanta after nine years of Gian Piero Gasperini, and although there are certainly similarities in their tactical approaches, there are differences too.

“I pressed higher than usual against Pisa and Parma, but he asks things that we know how to do. We need a little patience, as it won’t be easy after nine years of having the same coach,” added De Roon.

“Europe always gives us something special, it’s a lesson of pace and intensity. We can win, lose or draw, but the important thing is to learn from the experience and take all that with us to Serie A. We must enjoy this challenge.”