Arsenal’s Champions League marketing campaign will get underway with a difficult journey to Europa League winners Atalanta on Thursday evening.
Whereas Manchester Metropolis and Actual Madrid are the robust favourites to win the competitors, the Gunners will not be too far behind, as they goal to carry Europe’s most prestigious trophy for the primary time.
The primary of eight checks standing in Arsenal’s manner of the knockout spherical is Atalanta on the Gerwiss Stadium in Bergamo, and although Mikel Arteta’s aspect would be the favourites for the tie, they solely want to have a look at Liverpool final season to know that the Italian aspect pose a giant risk.
Liverpool beat Atalanta 1-0 in Bergamo again in April, however solely after the Serie A membership smashed the Reds 3-0 at Anfield within the first-leg of their Europa League quarter-final.
They once more defied expectations within the ultimate with a 3-0 victory to finish Bayer Leverkusen’s unbeaten season hopes on the final hurdle. It’s their hat-trick hero of that evening, Ademola Lookman, who the Gunners arguably needs to be most cautious of on Thursday.
Ademola Lookman can be trying to carry over his kind from final yr’s Europa League ultimate into the Champions League, beginning with a conflict towards Premier League giants Arsenal
Lookman was unplayable as he helped his aspect overcome the beforehand unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen by scoring the primary hat-trick in a serious European ultimate since 1975
Lookman struggled throughout spells at three Premier League golf equipment together with Leicester, however is now a Ballon d’Or contender and poses a totally totally different risk to Mikel Arteta’s Gunners
Lookman made little impression in 4 earlier video games towards Arsenal, however can be one in all Atalanta’s largest threats throughout Thursday evening’s Champions League conflict in Bergamo
Arsenal followers can have little or no reminiscence of Lookman from the 4 prior events they got here throughout him throughout his time within the Premier League.
Lookman didn’t make an impression in any of these video games, together with his solely begin coming in a 1-1 draw for Fulham on the Emirates in April 2021.
He final performed within the Premier League for Leicester as a 77th minute substitute in a 4-1 win over Southampton on the ultimate day of the 2021-22 season.
Two years later, Lookman is a a lot totally different prospect to the one which didn’t shine within the Premier League.
For one, he’s a Ballon d’Or contender – one thing that only a few would have anticipated throughout his time in England’s high flight.
Some may say that the nomination is right down to only one efficiency, and although it’s certainly an enormous issue behind his inclusion within the 30-man shortlist, it was additionally Lookman’s finest season of his profession.
He scored 17 targets and registered 10 assists for Atalanta in all competitions and performed an enormous half in Nigeria reaching the Africa Cup of Nations ultimate.
Lookman, a former England U20 World Cup winner, scored the one aim of their quarter-final win over Angola, earlier than they have been overwhelmed 2-1 within the ultimate by the Ivory Coast.
Lookman scored 17 targets and supplied 10 assists for Atalanta in all competitions final season
His efficiency within the Europa League ultimate may need annoyed these within the England set-up after he declared to play for Nigeria two years in the past
It was his efficiency towards Bayer Leverkusen within the Europa League ultimate which highlighted how a lot he has progressed since his time in England, as he turned the primary participant since 1975 to attain a hat-trick in a serious European ultimate.
His first had come within the opening 11 minutes of the match, discovering an open pocket of house within the penalty space to faucet Douglas Zappacosta’s cross into the again of the online from simply off the sting of the six-yard field.
He doubled the Serie A aspect’s lead quickly after with an excellent long-range end, gliding previous one defender earlier than curling a low strike into the far nook of the aim from outdoors of the penalty.
His third strike was maybe one of the best of the bunch, with Lookman receiving the ball on the sting of the Leverkusen penalty space, earlier than placing his head down, driving into the field and unleashing a thumping left-footed strike into the highest nook of the aim.
It was a efficiency that, forward of Euro 2024, may need irritated these inside the England set-up that they let Lookman slip by way of their fingers.
The London-born attacker declared for Nigeria two years in the past, although the England youth worldwide would have given ex-England boss Gareth Southgate an enormous argument to think about if he was nonetheless eligible for England.
There had been excessive hopes for Lookman throughout his time at Charlton, who stumbled upon him on south London’s Sunday League circuit – enjoying together with his mates for Waterloo and gave him a scholarship.
He obtained his huge break in January 2017, becoming a member of Everton for £11m after making 49 first group appearances for the Addicks.
Lookman initially broke by way of at Charlton, earlier than they offered him to Everton for £11m aged 19
Lookman struggled at Everton and was seemingly labelled as a Premier League flop after failing to make an impression throughout mortgage spells at Leicester Metropolis and Fulham
Lookman has loved a captivating journey from the cages of Peckham to European glory
Nonetheless, as beforehand reported by Mail Sport, sources on Merseyside mentioned that it was the incorrect place on the incorrect time and that Lookman struggled to settle in as a younger man in new surrounds away from London.
There was a falling out with Underneath-23s boss David Unsworth, and it was mentioned that he resembled a ‘misplaced soul’ across the membership – successfully telling then supervisor Sam Allardyce that his fashion of soccer didn’t go well with him.
What adopted wasn’t significantly better – the transfer to Leipzig and loans with Fulham and Leicester – and it’s truthful to say he has solely felt at house at two golf equipment, his first and his present.
He has 33 targets for Atalanta, and after lacking the opening three video games with damage, Lookman returned for the Serie A aspect of their 3-2 victory over Fiorentina on Sunday.
He made an instantaneous impression as he supplied a aim and help, giving him some good momentum as he heads into Thursday’s conflict with Arsenal.
Lookman missed Atalanta’s opening three Serie A video games however made an instantaneous impression on his return towards Fiorentina scoring a aim and grabbing an help (pictured with Mateo Retegui)
Lookman is coming off a summer time the place he had been linked with numerous groups, together with the Gunners.
Studies prompt that the Gunners had even made a £42.5m bid for Lookman which might have seen Jakub Kiwior head in the other way.
However Atalanta boss Gian Piero Gasperini, who has even admitted that ‘no one might ever think about’ that Lookman would make this a lot progress, was decided to maintain his participant.
Forward of Thursday’s recreation, Lookman mentioned as per Tutto Atalanta: ‘Arsenal are a really robust group, and I do know what to anticipate from them. Enjoying towards a group of that degree is at all times a tough problem, however we’re prepared.
‘We earned this place within the Champions League due to our nice final season, and we wish to present that we need to be right here.’
Lookman can be decided to hold over his Europa League kind into Europe’s most prestigious competitors – beginning with Arsenal.
