Nigerian international Ademola Lookman marked his long-awaited return to action for Atalanta with an impressive display as La Dea cruised to a commanding 3–0 win over Torino in their Serie A clash on Sunday.
The 26-year-old forward had been sidelined in recent weeks following a contract stand-off with the club after a proposed summer move to Inter Milan failed to materialise.
Having resumed full training earlier in the week, Atalanta started brightly and were rewarded in the 18th minute when Gianluca Scamacca opened the scoring after pouncing on a loose ball inside the area.
Torino struggled to contain Atalanta’s high pressing, and the hosts doubled their advantage shortly before the break as Teun Koopmeiners curled in a stunning free-kick from 25 yards.
Lookman was introduced into the game in the 87th minute and ensured a commanding win for Atalanta.
The victory keeps Atalanta in the hunt for a European spot as they climbed to fifth place on the Serie A table with 11 points from six games.
Torino, meanwhile, slipped to 12th, having managed only one win in their last five matches.
Lookman’s return and match-winning contribution underline how vital he could be for Atalanta as they prepare for a busy run of fixtures, including their Europa League group stage tie later this week.
...Lookman Has Bad Advisers
In the meantime, Atalanta head coach Ivan Juric has said the Super Eagles forward, Ademola Lookman was misled by people around him before making his return to the Serie A club.
Lookman rejoined the Atalanta squad on Sunday during their 3-0 victory over Torino, ending weeks of uncertainty about his future with the Bergamo outfit.
Speaking to Football Italia, Juric explained that the winger’s recent issues stemmed from poor guidance.
Juric said “He spoke to me and the team on Monday, he was surrounded by people who had given him some bad advice.
The Atalanta coach added “He has a great winning mentality and now we need to get him back in shape physically”.
Lookman, who had been linked with a move away from the club during the summer transfer window, is now expected to focus on regaining full fitness as Atalanta continue their push in Serie A.