Ademola Lookman’s Atalanta reintegration complete as UCL nemesis comes calling

Ademola Lookman will make his first start of the season for Atalanta on Tuesday evening as the Italian side host Club Brugge in the matchday two of the Champions League league phase. 

The Nigeria international is set to partner Nikola Krstovic in attack at the Gewiss Stadium, in what is a crucial fixture for Ivan Juric’s men.

Lookman was linked with a move away from Bergamo during the summer window but has since been reintegrated into the squad. He made a substitute appearance against Torino two weeks ago and was on the bench in the 1-1 draw with Juventus last weekend. His inclusion from the start underscores Atalanta’s need for fresh attacking solutions, with several key players sidelined.

I nostri 11 per Atalanta-Club Brugge 📝

Our starting XI for Atalanta v Club Brugge 🤜🤛#AtalantaBrugge #UCL #GoAtalantaGo ⚫🔵 pic.twitter.com/EWqDIvN0cK

— Atalanta B.C. (@Atalanta_BC) September 30, 2025

Lookman as Atalanta’s UCL x-factor

Head coach IJuric is short of options in attack, with Charles De Ketelaere, Gianluca Scamacca and Nicola Zalewski all unavailable, leaving him to rely on Lookman to inject urgency and creativity up front.

Atalanta are under pressure to respond following a humbling 4-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in their opening group fixture.

Having scored 20 times across competitions last season, Lookman remains one of Atalanta’s most potent weapons in the final third. His pace, directness and ability to create chances from wide areas give La Dea a dimension they sorely missed in Paris.

His return to the starting lineup does not erase the frustrations of an unsettled summer, when speculation over his future threatened to overshadow preparations. But his presence offers both depth and firepower as the Italian side aim to recover from a bruising European start and regain momentum in Group B