Ademola Lookman To Shine In Final Atalanta Match Before AFCON Duty

According to Ireporter Online, Nigerian international Ademola Lookman is set to make his final appearance of the year for Italian side Atalanta this weekend before joining the Super Eagles ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.

The 27-year-old striker is expected to feature in Atalanta’s annual Christmas charity fixture against Cagliari at the New Balance Arena on Saturday, December 13. Now in its fifteenth edition, the festive match was introduced by club president Antonio Percassi and has become a hallmark event for the Bergamo club.

In a statement, Atalanta confirmed the game details, revealing that the final home fixture before the holidays will kick off at 20:45 CET. As part of tradition, the team’s shirts for the Christmas Match will be auctioned off, with all proceeds donated to charity.

Lookman is scheduled to depart for the Super Eagles’ camp on Sunday. Nigeria will face Egypt in a friendly match on December 16 as part of their preparations for AFCON.

The forward has regained form after a challenging start to the season, playing a pivotal role in Atalanta’s 2-1 UEFA Champions League victory over Chelsea. His recent performances have earned praise from Atalanta manager Raffaele Palladino, who highlighted Lookman’s work both offensively and defensively.

Speaking on the impending absence of key players, Palladino said, “We are losing two important players for us, strong and decisive,” referring to Lookman and Ivory Coast defender Odilon Kossounou. He also lauded the striker’s intelligence and commitment on the field, noting that “he’s having a strong offensive phase, but I emphasise his defensive commitment: he’s 100 per cent in the game. I’m happy for his goals; he’s an essential asset.”