Atalanta picks Lookman for UCL duel with Shaktar Donetsk

Ademola Lookman, a striker, should be involved in a lot of the action when Atalanta plays Shakhtar Donetsk away in the Champions League tonight.

The experienced players in coach Gian Piero Gasperini's squad for the match include the Nigerian international who scored an incredible hat trick to win Atalanta their first continental trophy against Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League Final last season.

For this evening's road game, Gasperini has six Atalanta academy grads with him. Matteo Ruggeri is out due to injury, while Marco Brescianini has withdrawn.

Every position in Atalanta's confirmed roster contains an academy product, with goalkeeper Francesco Rossi—who has been with the team since 2003—named among the goalkeepers.
The remaining five academy grads are still qualified to play for the U23 team. Along with 19-year-old midfielder Alberto Manzioni and center-forward Vanja Vlahovic, who made his senior debut as a substitute against Como last Tuesday, the defensemen Pietro Comi, Tommaso Del Lungo, and Marco Palestra are also included.

In addition to the previously mentioned Ruggeri, who is also sidelined due to a knee injury, Gasperini's injury list still includes Gianluca Scamacca and Giorgio Scalvini, both of whom are out with cruciate ligament injuries.

Other than Brescianini, all of Atalanta's senior players that are available have been selected.

Carnesecchi, Rui Patricio, and Rossi are the goalkeepers.

Defenders: Zappacosta, Palestra, Comi, Del Lungo, Djimsiti, Kolasinac, Bellanova, Cuadrado, Kossounou, Godfrey, and Komi.

Pasalic, Ederson, De Roon, Samardzic, and Manzioni are midfielders.

Forwards: Vlahovic, Zaniolo, De Ketelaere, Lookman, and Retegui

UCL FIXTURES

Girona vs. Feyenoord

Shakhtar vs. Atalanta

Aston Villa vs. Bayern

Benfica vs. Atletico

Dinamo Zagreb vs. Monaco

Lille vs.Real Madrid

Liverpool vs. Bologna

RB Leipzig vs Juventus

Sturm Graz vs. Brugge