Atalanta Part Ways with Juric After a Rough Patch, Lookman's Turmoil Takes Center Stage

Key developments

Atalanta announced on Monday the departure of head coach Ivan Juric after a 3-0 home defeat to Sassuolo, leaving the club in 13th place in Serie A after 11 rounds. Juric had taken charge in June, succeeding Gian Piero Gasperini, who left to coach Roma. In an official statement the club said it was relieving Juric from his duties as first-team coach. The club also expressed gratitude to Juric and his staff and wished them success in the future. The team has only two league wins this season and sits 11 points behind the leaders, Inter Milan. In context, Atalanta had previously won the Europa League two seasons earlier by defeating Bayer Leverkusen in the final.

The departure comes amid broader turmoil at the club, including a publicized dressing room moment with Ademola Lookman and questions about the team’s direction this season. Juric had replaced Gasperini after a lengthy tenure, and the club is now faced with resetting under new leadership.

Lookman saga and broader context

Ademola Lookman, the club’s Nigerian forward, has taken steps indicating a strained relationship with Atalanta. He unfollowed the official Atalanta account on social media and deleted all posts relating to the club from his profile, a clear sign of discontent. The tensions trace back to a Champions League group stage match against Marseille, where a late goal sealed a 1-0 win for Atalanta. Juric substituted Lookman in the 75th minute and brought on Yunus Musa, an incident that sparked a heated exchange on the sidelines and required staff intervention to calm the situation.

In a later press conference Juric suggested that such incidents happen and that communication and openness can strengthen relationships within the squad. He added that Lookman is a special player and that the matter had been resolved, even though Lookman’s actions suggested otherwise. Lookman trained normally the following day, and the club insisted that the Marseille affair had been settled, though it did little to quiet the ongoing narrative.

The episode is not Lookman’s first public outcry. In the summer, Lookman pressed for a move away from Atalanta, allegedly pressing for a transfer to Inter Milan for a figure around 50 million euros. Atalanta reportedly held firm on price, and the deal did not materialize, leading to a period of absence from training that hampered his early-season involvement. As a result Lookman missed several league games and a Champions League tie, before gradually returning to action. He has since played ten appearances this season, with one goal, and helped push the team through a tricky period.

Beyond Lookman, the situation reflects longer term tensions within Atalanta, especially given a managerial change at the start of the season and the exit of Gasperini to Roma. Inter Milan and other European clubs reportedly kept an eye on Lookman, along with interest from Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, illustrating the broader market dynamics around a player who has been central to Atalanta’s European ambitions in recent years.

As Atalanta moves forward, the club faces a balancing act between domestic league commitments and continental competition. The loss of Juric comes at a time of upheaval that could shape the team’s trajectory for the remainder of the season, and the January window could be decisive for several players and the club’s tactical setup. In short, this is not just a coaching change; it’s a crucible for Atalanta’s identity in a season defined by disruption and ambition.

Humor note: If football ever needed a weather forecast, it would be this season in Bergamo — cloudy with a chance of transfers, and a few unexpected emails from the club’s inbox that say we’re changing our plan again. And yes, the ball still hasn’t filed for a restraining order against drama — it keeps getting kicked back into play, much to the fans’ amusement.