Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman came off the bench but could not prevent Atalanta from suffering a 3-2 home Champions League defeat to Athletic Club on a disappointing night in Bergamo.
Atalanta started brightly and took the lead in the 16th minute when Gianluca Scamacca rose to meet a cross from Nicola Zalewski, heading the ball into the left corner from close range. The hosts controlled large spells of the first half but failed to add to their advantage.
The game turned after the break. In the 58th minute, Athletic Club drew level through Gorka Guruzeta, who finished calmly with his right foot from the centre of the box after being picked out by Robert Navarro. Nine minutes later, Ademola Lookman was introduced for Nicola Zalewski as Atalanta looked to regain control.
Instead, the visitors completed their comeback in the 70th minute. Nico Serrano scored from close range with his left foot after another cross from Navarro, putting Athletic Club 2-1 ahead. Just four minutes later, Navarro capped a fine individual performance by scoring himself, firing a right-footed effort inside the box to make it 3-1.
Atalanta pulled one back late on when Nikola Krstovic finished from close range in the 88th minute to reduce the deficit to 3-2, but the Italian side could not find an equaliser as Athletic Club held on for victory.
Ademola Lookman cameo showed flashes of impact. The Nigerian attacker had one shot blocked, created one big chance, recorded 17 touches and completed seven of his 11 passes during his time on the pitch.
The defeat leaves Atalanta 13th in the Champions League table with 13 points, marking their first loss of 2026. Athletic Club moved up to 23rd with eight points, keeping their hopes of finishing in the top 24 alive.
Before the match, Atalanta had gone seven games without beating a Spanish side since their victory over Valencia in the 2019-20 season. Athletic Club, meanwhile, had been struggling for form away from home in Europe, scoring only once and conceding six in their previous three continental road games. This win ended a three-match winless run away in the competition and provided a timely boost to their campaign.
