Atalanta head coach Ivan Juric has hinted that Super Eagles winger Ademola Lookman could return to the starting lineup when La Dea face Club Brugge in the Champions League on Tuesday night, Bold Sports reports.
The Italian side will be eager to bounce back after their bruising 4-0 opening defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, and Lookman’s reintroduction may provide a much-needed boost.
The Nigerian international has only made one appearance since rejoining full team training, coming off the bench in the final minutes of Atalanta’s 3-0 win over Torino. He was then left unused in their subsequent Serie A clash against Juventus.
“Ademola has been training with us for a while now, and I’m starting to think about it,” Juric told reporters at his pre-match press conference. “The same goes for Ederson. They’re two important players we need to reintroduce into the rotation.”
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Lookman’s return could prove timely, as Atalanta are on a three-game losing streak in the Champions League — their joint-longest in the competition’s history.
However, Juric will once again be forced to juggle his squad amid mounting injury concerns. Charles De Ketelaere has been ruled out, joining Giorgio Scalvini, Isak Hien, Nicola Zalewski, Gianluca Scamacca, Sead Kolasinac and Mitchel Bakker on the sidelines.
“We’d like to have everyone available,” Juric admitted. “We want to win the match, but without over-exerting the players. They’re doing well, and I’m confident.”
Despite the setbacks, the Atalanta boss praised his squad’s commitment and hinted at brighter days ahead.
“They (injuries) undoubtedly weigh heavily, but even those who were called upon have performed excellently,” he added. “For a coach, it’s an important sign: it means that, despite not playing, they trained with great dedication. I can’t wait to have the full squad back. I hope to get some players back after the break and improve our situation.”
Atalanta sit bottom of the league phase standings after Matchday 1, and Tuesday’s clash with Brugge already carries the weight of a must-win fixture.
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