Atalanta has confirmed that Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman will miss their crucial Champions League clash against Barcelona after suffering a knee injury during training.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the Serie A club disclosed that Lookman sustained a lateral joint injury in his right knee, ruling him out of the trip to Spain.
The 27-year-old, who has been instrumental for Atalanta this season with 14 goals and six assists, is expected to be sidelined for up to a month, according to Italian media.
Ademola Lookman’s absence is a significant blow for Gian Piero Gasperini’s side as they aim to secure direct qualification to the last 16 of the Champions League.
Currently sitting seventh in the league phase standings, Atalanta must defeat an already-qualified Barcelona to avoid dropping into the play-off spots.
The loss is even more poignant considering Lookman’s vital contributions, including a hat-trick in last season’s Europa League final victory against Bayer Leverkusen.
Atalanta will need to dig deep to maintain their impressive run in Europe’s elite competition, with their fate hanging in the balance in what promises to be a high-stakes encounter at Camp Nou.