Atalanta head coach Ivan Juric has brushed aside his touchline altercation with Ademola Lookman during Wednesday night’s 1-0 Champions League victory over Marseille, describing it as a normal reaction that happens “in the heat of the moment.”
The Super Eagles winger was visibly unhappy after being substituted in the second half, minutes after his goal was ruled out for offside. The situation escalated when Juric grabbed Lookman by the arm as he left the pitch, prompting a brief exchange before the rest of the coaching staff stepped in to separate them.
Speaking to Sky Sport Italia after the game, Juric played down the incident, insisting such reactions are common among competitive players.
“It’s the usual thing we’ve been commenting on every Sunday,” Juric said. “It happened with De Bruyne at Napoli, some players are not happy to be substituted, they don’t react well, and we sort these things out in the locker room.”
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He added that moments like this are part of football’s intensity and do not overshadow the team’s collective spirit.
“We all know these situations; we’ve all had them as players and coaches. They happen in the heat of the moment. What matters is Atalanta, the club, the team, and the fans. We do what’s good for the team. I understand, I shake it all off, and we move forward.”
On the victory itself, Juric praised his side for showing persistence after having a penalty missed and Lookman’s goal disallowed earlier in the match.
“It was a good performance. We were unlucky on the penalty and the disallowed goal, so for once we got some luck at the end,” the Atalanta boss said. “Samardzic scored a fantastic goal and we are very happy.”
Juric also rejected suggestions that his team had been struggling this season, insisting performances have remained strong despite mixed results.
“I don’t think we’ve lacked anything this season,” he said. “Other than the loss to Udinese, we’ve played really good football, hit the woodwork, and were denied by goalkeeping heroics. I understand that the lack of results can create a negative feeling, but we’ve kept putting in the performances.”
Atalanta’s win lifted them to seven points from four games, giving them a solid chance of reaching the Champions League knockout stage.
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