Nigerian international Ademola Lookman has sent shockwaves through the football world after taking drastic action on social media following a heated touchline confrontation with Atalanta manager Ivan Jurić.
The Touchline Clash That Sparked Controversy
The incident occurred during Atalanta's 1-0 victory over Marseille at the Stade Orange Vélodrome on Wednesday, November 5, in the Champions League. Lookman, who had been substituted midway through the second half while the scores remained goalless, appeared to snub his manager as he walked past the technical area.
This triggered an angry reaction from Jurić, who grabbed the Super Eagles star by the arm before club CEO Luca Percassi and teammate Marten de Roon intervened to separate the pair and calm the escalating situation.
Lookman's Instagram Statement Without Words
Following the controversial incident, the 28-year-old Nigerian forward made a silent but powerful statement on social media. Investigations revealed that Lookman has unfollowed his club Atalanta on Instagram, though his bio still identifies him as a "Nigeria and Atalanta player."
Notably, the current CAF Player of the Year's Instagram feed contains no pictures of himself wearing the Atalanta jersey, further fueling speculation about his future at the club.
Growing Tensions and Transfer Speculation
This incident represents the latest chapter in what appears to be growing tension between Lookman and his manager. The situation becomes more concerning when considering that Lookman went on strike at the start of the season after Atalanta blocked his potential move to Serie A rivals Inter Milan.
The Nigerian international missed several weeks of pre-season training and only made his first appearance of the season in Atalanta's 3-0 away win to Torino on September 21. His first start came in their 2-1 victory over Club Brugge in the Champions League on September 30.
Lookman had seemingly been working his way back to form, scoring his first goal of the season in Atalanta's 1-1 draw with AC Milan on October 28. However, the recent touchline clash and subsequent social media action have reignited transfer rumors, with many speculating the Nigerian star could be pushing for a move when the January transfer window opens.
The manager received significant backlash from fans, former footballers, and pundits on CBS Sports for his actions during the touchline incident. Despite downplaying the confrontation during his post-match press conference, Jurić's behavior appears to have triggered Lookman's decisive social media response.
This development comes as Nigerian fans express support for their star player, with one social media user sending a strongly worded message to Atalanta demanding that Lookman receive the respect he deserves and calling for sanctions against Jurić.
