Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman is revved up for Thursday’s UEFA Champions League clash with Arsenal as Gian Piero Gasperini’s men return to the elite European competition.
The Nigeria forward, who has been in top form for La Dea, is set to face off against the Gunners at Gewiss Stadium, Bergamo, in what promises to be a thrilling encounter between two high-flying teams.
Lookman, who scored the winning goal in Atalanta’s recent 3-2 victory against Fiorentina, expressed his excitement about the challenge ahead.
“We’re very pleased to be in the Champions League this season. We deserved that and have to demonstrate it. Arsenal are a very strong team, and I know what to expect from them,” he said in a recent interview.
Being a former player of Everton, Fulham, and Leicester makes the Nigerian no stranger to Arsenal and is eager to prove his quality on the European stage.
Atalanta secured their spot in the Champions League by winning the Europa League last season, thus returning to Europe’s elite club competition after a two-year absence.
Their memorable run in the Europa League culminated in a 3-0 demolition of Bayer Leverkusen in the final, with Lookman etching his name in the club’s folklore by scoring a hat-trick that won them the trophy. Now, La Dea will be hoping to carry that momentum into this season’s Champions League campaign, starting with Thursday’s clash with the Londoners.
Arsenal, on the other hand, are also enjoying a resurgence in European football under Mikel Arteta.After finishing second in the Premier League and reaching the quarterfinals of the competition last season, the Gunners are back in the competition and eager to make a statement. They are currently unbeaten in the Premier League, and a North London derby win over Tottenham Hotspur comes as a major boost ahead of the trip to Italy.
Lookman has already made headlines this season, having been named Serie A’s best player for round four after his standout performance against Fiorentina over the weekend.
The Nigeria international scored the decisive goal and provided an assist, as Atalanta won 3-2. The performance earned him an 8/10 rating from Italian sports media, as well as the official Serie A Man of the Match award.This level of performance has been typical of Lookman since his move to Atalanta. Last season, he was instrumental in their Europa League triumph and has continued to impress with his pace, dribbling, and eye for goal. Now, as he prepares to face Arsenal, the England-born will be eager to dignify his growing reputation.
Arsenal, however, will be a tough nut to crack, having been solid defensively this season, conceding just one goal in their opening four Premier League fixtures.
Their ability to dominate set-pieces, demonstrated by Gabriel’s match-winning header against Spurs, has also become a key feature of their play.
Arteta has transformed the Gunners into a team that can compete at the highest level, and they will be looking to build on last season’s run to the Champions League quarterfinals. With players like Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard, and Gabriel Jesus leading the line, Arsenal also have a formidable attacking force.
Despite this strength, Lookman is confident in Atalanta’s ability to rise to the occasion.
“We earned this place in the Champions League, thanks to our great last season, and we want to show that we deserve to be here,” Lookman said. Atalanta will also be buoyed by their recent performances against Premier League opposition, having memorably eliminated Liverpool from the Europa League last season, with a 3-0 win at Anfield underscoring their road strength. Gasperini’s side will now look to replicate that success against Arsenal.
Despite Lookman’s optimism, recent form suggests that Atalanta face a tough challenge.La Dea have struggled at times this season, with a turbulent transfer market leading to inconsistent results.
They opened their campaign with a loss to Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup and have suffered defeats in two of their first three Serie A games.
While the win over Fiorentina offered a much-needed boost, Gasperini will be fully aware that his side must improve to get a result against Arsenal.
The Gunners, by contrast, have been flying. With six consecutive away wins in the Premier League, Arsenal will arrive in Bergamo full of confidence.
As the two teams face off, all eyes will be on Lookman to see if he can lead Atalanta to another famous victory.
With both sides in good form and eager to impress, this is a clash that no football fan will want to miss.
