Troy Deeney Backs Ademola Lookman After Touchline Clash with Atalanta Boss Juric
Former Watford striker Troy Deeney has defended Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman following his heated touchline exchange with Atalanta manager Ivan Juric during their 1–0 Champions League win over Marseille on Wednesday night.
Lookman, who had been one of Atalanta’s brightest players on the night, reacted angrily after being substituted in the 75th minute for Yunus Musah while the score was still goalless. As he walked off, Juric appeared to pull him back, sparking a brief confrontation in front of the dugout.
After the match, Juric played down the incident, saying such situations are normal in football and would be settled in the dressing room. “Some players are not happy to be substituted; they don’t react well. These things happen in the heat of the moment,” the Croatian coach said.
Deeney: ‘Juric Was Wrong’
However, Deeney, speaking as a pundit on CBS Sports Golazo, sided firmly with Lookman, insisting that Juric crossed the line by physically confronting his player.
“Altercations happen all the time, but when you physically put your hands on somebody, at that point, you’ve lost the right to have a conversation,” the 37-year-old said.
“There’s nothing you can say today, tomorrow, or next week that’ll make them forget that you did that in front of everyone. We’ve all had arguments and frustrations, but no one should ever get to the point of putting their hands on someone. If you do that, you face the consequences.”
Other Pundits Agree with Deeney
Former Brentford winger Mike Grella supported Deeney’s view, saying Juric owed Lookman an apology. “Now, he has to go on and apologise, and that puts him in an even weaker position,” Grella said.
Ex-England midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker also condemned Juric’s behaviour, stressing that a manager in his position should have known better.
“When you put your hands on a player like that, you’ve lost. Full stop. You’re the coach of a Champions League team — that’s something the whole world sees. Bigger managers than Juric have had disputes with players but never crossed that line,” Reo-Coker said.
Lookman Keeps Focus on Football
Despite the incident, Lookman’s strong performance against Marseille was key to Atalanta’s victory, which strengthened their position in the Champions League group stage.
The Super Eagles star will now shift focus to international duty as Nigeria prepare to face Gabon in the 2026 FIFA World Cup playoff semifinal next week in Rabat, Morocco.
