Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman openly clashed with coach Ivan Juric on the touchline after being substituted during a Champions League match, leading to an intervention by staff members.
The incident occurred in the 75th minute of Atalanta’s match against Marseille when Lookman was called off the field. As he walked toward the bench, a heated verbal exchange erupted between the player and Juric.
The coach then grabbed Lookman’s arm, prompting members of the team staff to step in and separate the two to prevent the situation from escalating further.
Following the match, which Atalanta won 1-0, coach Juric downplayed the confrontation. He described such moments as common in professional football.
“These things happen, like Conte-De Bruyne in Naples,” Juric stated, referring to a past incident between players and coaches. “In the heat of the moment, you exaggerate a little, but everything is resolved in the locker room.”
Juric added that players often struggle to accept substitutions, leading to “uncontrolled reactions” during high-stakes games. The winning goal for Atalanta was scored by Samardzic in the 89th minute.
This job is done, Lookman is ours in January pic.twitter.com/1qDOYmA4Tw
— Yes Context GS (@_yescontextgs) November 6, 2025