Nigeria's Super Eagles have responded to Gian Piero Gasperini’s scathing criticism of Ademola Lookman following the forward’s missed penalty in Atalanta’s UEFA Champions League defeat to Club Brugge.

The Nigerian football team stood in defence of the reigning CAF Men’s Player of the Year after Gasperini labelled him 'one of the worst penalty takers' following the high-stakes game.

Atalanta entered their knockout play-off second leg trailing 2-1 after a narrow defeat in Belgium.

Their hopes of a comeback suffered a severe blow when Club Brugge scored three unanswered goals in the first half, extending their aggregate lead to 5-1.

However, Lookman reignited some hope for Atalanta when he found the net just 34 seconds into the second half, reducing the deficit to 5-2, DailySTAR UK reports.

His goal set a record as the fastest by a substitute from the start of the second half in UEFA Champions League history.

As Atalanta pressed for a miraculous comeback, they were awarded a penalty in the 61st minute and Lookman, full of confidence, stepped up to take the spot kick, aiming for his second goal of the night.

Unfortunately, his shot was comfortably saved by former Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, ending any realistic hopes of an Atalanta comeback.

Following the match, Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini did not hold back his frustration.

The Italian manager openly criticised Lookman for taking the penalty and questioned his ability from the spot.

“Lookman wasn’t supposed to take the penalty. He’s one of the worst penalty-takers I’ve ever seen. Even in training, he has a very low percentage.

“He wanted to take the penalty after scoring a goal. He took the ball despite [Mateo] Retegui and [Charles] De Keteleare being available. I didn’t like what Lookman did,” Gasperini stated.

These comments quickly sparked reactions from fans, analysts, and Nigerian football authorities, who felt the criticism was unnecessarily harsh on Lookman, given his overall contributions to the team.

The Nigerian national team, the Super Eagles, swiftly came to Lookman’s defence.

In response to Gasperini’s comments, the Super Eagles took to X (formerly Twitter) and posted a highlight reel showcasing Lookman’s best goals for both club and country.

This move was widely seen as a direct response to Gasperini’s critique, reaffirming Nigeria’s confidence in Lookman’s abilities.

The Super Eagles’ response was met with applause from Nigerian fans and football enthusiasts who felt that Lookman’s contributions deserved appreciation rather than harsh public criticism.

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Gasperini’s comments did not sit well with many football fans, analysts, and former players, with ex-England international Rio Ferdinand among those who quickly reacted.

The Manchester United legend took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his displeasure, responding to football journalist Fabrizio Romano’s post on the incident with a single word: “Liberty.”

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Source: Legit.ng