After being out since the end of January due to a knee injury, Ademola Lookman made a remarkable comeback and immediately showed off his skills after entering the game at halfway.

When a VAR review gave Atalanta a penalty for a foul in the box, he scored just 35 seconds after entering the game, raising expectations for a comeback.

However, Mignolet’s outstanding goalkeeping abilities allowed Club Brugge to hold onto their lead by saving Lookman’s penalty and blocking Retegui’s subsequent attempt.

Unfortunately, the missed penalty turned out to be a game-changer for Atalanta, as they were unable to take advantage of the chance to close the gap and were eventually eliminated from the competition.

In his post-game comments, Gasperini emphasized the value of making decisions under pressure, especially when it comes to penalty takers.

Gasperini remarked, “Ademola Lookman is among the worst penalty takers I’ve ever seen.”

Retegui and De Keteleare were also available and might have taken responsibility, he added, but Lookman took the initiative to kick the penalty after scoring. Gasperini went on, “I didn’t like what Lookman did.”

Atalanta’s night got even more difficult when captain Rafael Tolói was sent off for a foul that stopped a fast throw-in, allowing Club Brugge to control the rest of the match with ease.

By winning 3-1 in Bergamo and securing a 5-2 aggregate, Club Brugge ended a seven-game losing record against Italian opponents.