Ademola Lookman, fresh off a rewarding performance in Atalanta’s 3-0 Champions League win over Eintracht Frankfurt, now targets a historic scoring record for the Bergamo as they host Fiorentina.
With 54 goals for the Serie A side, the Nigerian star is now joint-ninth on Atalanta’s all-time scoring chart alongside Danish great Poul Rasmussen.
A double on Sunday pushes him to 56, drawing level with Adriano Bassetto and Germán Denis, two cornerstone figures in the club’s attacking history.
Fiorentina: A familiar and productive opponent
Lookman’s record against Fiorentina is unusually efficient. He has delivered five goals and three assists in seven meetings with the Viola, making them his most frequently punished opposition.
Both sides need points urgently, setting the stage for another high-impact showing from Atalanta’s most reliable finisher.
Atalanta still searching for stability
Despite Wednesday’s emphatic Champions League performance, Atalanta remain constrained by domestic underperformance.
They sit 10th in their European group but have managed only 13 Serie A points from 12 matches, their weakest opening since 2014.
The winless league run now stands at eight games under both Raffaele Palladino and former manager Ivan Juric. Last weekend’s 3-1 loss to Napoli showed the urgent need for a reset.
Fiorentina in deeper trouble
Fiorentina’s crisis is more acute. Winless in Serie A since May, they occupy 17th after a 1-1 draw with Juventus.
New manager Paolo Vanoli has yet to reverse the slide, with two league draws and a Conference League defeat to AEK Athens defining his tenure so far.
Structural issues compound the situation: 10 goals conceded from set pieces, ineffective output from Moise Kean and Edin Džeko, and a lengthy injury list including Robin Gosens, Christian Kouame, Tariq Lamptey and doubts over Dodo.
History beckons
With Atalanta expected to retain their attacking trio and Lookman operating at peak confidence, Fiorentina face a severe examination.
One more decisive moment from the Nigerian could lift his name further into Atalanta’s record books, and potentially shift things in a season that urgently requires direction.
