Atalanta's manager, Ivan Juric, expressed relief at having Ademola Lookman back in the squad after a failed transfer to Inter Milan. Lookman had been training separately from the team, hoping to join Inter. However, Atalanta blocked the move to their domestic rival. The 27-year-old forward returned to action in the 87th minute during Atalanta's 3-0 victory over Torino.
Juric mentioned that Lookman was eager to rejoin the team and had spoken with both him and his teammates. "He was surrounded by people who had given him some bad advice," Juric noted. He praised Lookman's competitive spirit and emphasized the need for him to regain physical fitness. Lookman had previously scored a hat-trick in Atalanta's Europa League final win in the 2023-24 season.
In the match against Torino, Nikola Krstovic scored twice, while Kamaldeen Sulemana also found the net, giving Atalanta a comfortable lead by halftime. Marco Carnesecchi played a crucial role by saving a penalty from Duvan Zapata, ensuring Atalanta maintained a clean sheet throughout the game.
Reflecting on their recent performance against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, where they suffered a 4-0 defeat, Juric believed it served as motivation for his players. "That game actually gave us strength because we were up against the best team in Europe," he said. He felt that this experience helped them manage their approach against Torino effectively.
3 - In 2025, no player has scored more than one goal in more games than Nikola Krstovi in #SerieA: three, tied with Pedro. Brace.#TorinoAtalanta
- OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) September 21, 2025
Challenges Faced by Torino
The match was overshadowed by protests from Torino fans against club president Urbano Cairo's leadership. Juric, who managed Torino from 2021 to 2024 before moving on to Roma and Southampton, commented on the situation: "It's sad to see such discontent in the stands. " He acknowledged that conditions had worsened since his tenure there.
Currently, Atalanta sits fifth in Serie A with two wins and two draws from four matches this season. Meanwhile, Torino is positioned four points behind them in 12th place.
