Breaher Lookman scored twice in response to the criticism of Gian Piero Gasperini when Atalanta rode a 5-0 victory in relegation-threatened Empoli to accommodate the Serie A-title race.
A month ago the battle seemed to be a race of two horses between Napoli and Inter, but indifferent results for both parties were allowed to limit the gap.
On Sunday's win, Atalanta moved to 54 points, three behind leaders Inter and two from Napoli with 12 games left.
The 27-minute own goal of Emmanuel Gyasi set the tone after Davide Zappacosta had delivered a cross from the edge of the box that blended the Empoli striker and ran in the corner of the net.
Mateo Retegui doubled the pipe six minutes later before Lookman reached the 43rd minute with 3-0 when he held on a ball, skillfully completed goalkeeper Marco Silvestri and the ball in the empty Net stopped.
Lookman received his second shortly after the break, sliding on a by the Bal van Marten de Roon after avoiding the offside trap and firing a angular shot along Silvestri after some neat footwork.
It meant a well-timed reaction from LOOKMAN, whose boss Gasperini called him “one of the worst penalty makers” after his miss in the defeat of the Midweek Champions League against Club Brugge.
Zappacosta completed the routes in the 74th minute when the Empoli defeat left 18th on 21 points, two points on drift of safety.
Routine pic.twitter.com/o7gak7b7fv
– Atalanta BC (@atalanta_BC) February 23, 2025
Debrief data: Rampant Retegui's Road Run continues
Retegui has now scored seven goals in his last three from matches, a brace managed against Como, four against Verona …
Indeed, only Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (16) has managed more competition goals in Europe's top five competitions than Retegui's 13 this period, in which Atalanta benefits from its striking form on the road.
It was not only Retegui who ran Riot here, with Atalanta who recorded their sixth consecutive Serie A victory on Empoli, their worst current series of defeats against an opponent in the competition.
The Scoreline may, however, flatter the visitors, with Atalanta who collected 2.42 expected goals into Empoli's 1.06, with a superior quality of adding shine to an impressive result.
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