Italian fans and pundits have taken the side with Nigerian striker Ademola Lookman after his touchline argument with Atalanta head coach Ivan Juric during their 1-0 victory over Marseille in the Champions League on Wednesday night, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Atalanta recorded their second Champions League victory of the season through a late Lazar Samardzic goal at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille.

Despite his side’s victory, the spotlight fell on Juric after full-time, following his altercation with the star forward on the touchline. It was

Lookman had a goal ruled out for offside in the build-up before he was taken off in the 75th minute, and while the Nigeria international was making his way to the dugout, he and the coach appeared to be in disagreement, potentially over the decision to remove him.

Juric grabbed Lookman by the arm, pulled him back and continued arguing. That drew a frustrated response from the player, who was then taken away by other members of the coaching staff.

Sky Sport Italia revealed that there were more words exchanged between Juric and Lookman at the final whistle, when the rest of the team went to celebrate the victory.

While Lookman had been in a similar situation before under former coach Gian Gasperini, various groups of fans and pundits believe that Juric was the one in the wrong on this occasion.

“When you physically put your hands on somebody, at that point, me and you are not going to have a conversation again. There’s nothing you can say today, tomorrow, next week that makes me forget that you did that in front of everyone,” said former Watford striker Troy Deeney on CBS Sports after full-time.

Co-pundit Nigel Reo-Coker agreed, “When it comes to responsibility in positions of power, Juric is completely in the wrong there.

“You, as a manager, cannot do that, regardless of what’s been said. You’re a football manager, managing Atalanta, it’s (being broadcast) around the world. You can not do that. If you put your hands on a player physically like that, you’ve lost. Full stop.”

Football Italia also quoted supporters online, who also sided with Lookman rather than Juric. One supporter on X wrote: “Lookman didn’t deserve that,” while another commented: “Not a good look, especially if you’re the coach.”

Publisher of ACL Sports, Calvin Onwuka, also said, “You grab a player you replaced forcefully in front of a worldwide TV audience?

“You are even a rubbish manager. Ademola Lookman needs to make a statement right here and now: one of us has to go!”

The coach, however, downplayed the scenario, describing the altercation as normal.

“It’s the usual thing we’ve been commenting on every Sunday, it happened with De Bruyne at Napoli, some players are not happy to be substituted, they don’t react well, and we sort these things out in the locker room,” insisted Juric.

“We all know these situations, we’ve all had them as players, as coaches, they happen in the heat of the moment. What matters is Atalanta, the club, the team and the fans. We do what is good for the team, and I think you need to give your all. I understand, I shake it all off, and we move forward.”

Following his tense situation with the club at the start of the season, Lookman’s future at Atalanta continues to be in doubt as the January transfer window approaches.