Ademola Lookman has stated that he is excited for Atalanta’s UEFA Champions League match against Arsenal.
The team, led by Gian Piero Gasperini, will face the strong Gunners at the Gewiss Stadium on Thursday, after a 3-2 win over Fiorentina.
Lookmann who is the club’s winger believes Atalanta is ready to face a challenging team, as they earned their place in the Champions League through their last season and aim to prove their worth.
He said: “Arsenal are a very strong team, and I know what to expect from them. Playing against a team of that level is always a difficult challenge, but we are ready.
“We earned this place in the Champions League thanks to our great last season, and we want to show that we deserve to be here.”
The club’s manager Gian Piero Gasperini on the other hand has acknowledged that the match would be challenging, stating that his team has not yet reached peak form.
Despite a 3-2 victory against Fiorentina in Serie A, he though still remains unoptimistic as they face last season’s Premier League runners-up in the new Champions League format.
Speaking to DAZN, he said: “It’s not just their aerial power, the way they run, move the ball and have fantastic dynamism.
“Arsenal are a great reference point in England, they dominated the Premier League last season along with Manchester City and Liverpool.
“We have never played against them and I think they will be a big test for us because of their intensity, quality and pace. We’re not used to teams with those characteristics, this could be a problem for us”.
Written by Cheta Enyoghasi
