Atalanta’s manager, Gian Piero Gasperini, expressed his frustration regarding a critical error during the team’s narrow 1-0 defeat to Lazio, revealing that the substitution of Ademola Lookman was a mistake.
In the 75th minute of the match, Ademola Lookman was taken off the pitch, an action that Gasperini later clarified was not intended.
Instead, he had planned to substitute Brazilian defender Ederson, but a mix-up occurred that led to Lookman’s number being displayed on the electronic board.
The unplanned substitution proved costly, as Atalanta’s loss dealt a significant blow to their ambitions in the title race. The defeat dropped them to the third spot on the league table with 58 points in 31 games, 10 points below first-placed Inter Milan.
After the match, Gasperini spoke to DAZN (as reported by Football Italia), saying, “There was a mistake. Only Retegui was supposed to come off.”
He added, “Unfortunately, there was a misunderstanding between ‘Ede’ [Ederson] and ‘Ade’ [Lookman], and we paid a high price for it.”
Meanwhile, Fulham’s manager Marco Silva took the opportunity to praise Calvin Bassey following the defender’s standout performance in a thrilling 3-2 victory over Liverpool at Craven Cottage.
The match was a testament to Fulham’s resilience, as they managed to outplay the league leaders, with Bassey emerging as one of the team’s key players. He displayed remarkable defensive skills, successfully neutralizing Liverpool’s star forward Mohamed Salah, which was crucial in securing the win.
Silva commended Bassey’s potential, stating, “Calvin has all the skills to be a top central defender. He ticks all the boxes to be a top, top player. Now he has to be more consistent.”
With 29 league appearances under his belt this season, the 25-year-old’s performance signifies his growing importance to the Fulham squad as they strive for success in the league.
