Atalanta BC has parted ways with head coach Ivan Juric after a dismal run of form that culminated in a 3-0 home thrashing by newly promoted Sassuolo on Sunday. The Croatian manager, who took the helm in the summer following Gian Piero Gasperini’s departure to Roma, leaves the club languishing in 13th place in Serie A with only two wins from 11 matches.
The sacking, announced via an official club statement on Monday, also sees Juric’s entire coaching staff Matteo Paro, Miguel Veloso, Pablo Barbero, Stjepan Ostojic, and Michele Orecchio relieved of their duties with immediate effect. “Atalanta thanks Ivan Juric and his staff for their efforts and wishes them all the best for the future,” the statement read, offering little further explanation.
Juric’s tenure, spanning just over three months, began with promise: a nine-match unbeaten streak in Serie A (seven draws) hinted at stability after Gasperini’s nine-year reign that transformed Atalanta into a European force. However, momentum shattered with back-to-back defeats to Udinese and Sassuolo, leaving La Dea with a meager six points from their last eight league outings. The humiliating loss to Sassuolo despite the visitors’ status as Serie A newcomers proved the final straw, plunging Atalanta into the bottom half of the table for the first time this season.
Whispers of Juric’s precarious position had grown louder in recent weeks. Reports suggested his job hinged on results from Atalanta’s Champions League clash with Marseille and the subsequent Sassuolo fixture. While a victory over Marseille provided temporary respite, it was overshadowed by an explosive touchline confrontation with star forward Ademola Lookman—the “Lookman saga” that has dominated headlines and fueled speculation about deeper dressing-room unrest.
The incident unfolded late in Atalanta’s 2-1 Champions League win over Marseille on Wednesday, when Juric substituted the Nigerian international, who had been instrumental in the team’s attack. As Lookman trudged off the pitch, he appeared to mutter something under his breath, prompting an irate Juric to grab him by the arm and engage in a heated exchange that required staff intervention to de-escalate. The 27-year-old, fresh off his historic hat-trick in last season’s Europa League final, looked visibly furious, shoving away from his manager as benches emptied in concern.
Juric later downplayed the spat in post-match comments, insisting it was a “passion-fueled moment” resolved in the locker room. “These things happen in football Ademola is a key player, and we’re focused on the team,” he said. Yet, Lookman’s actions spoke volumes: within hours, the Atalanta talisman unfollowed the club on Instagram, deleted all photos of himself in Nerazzurri colors, and removed mentions of the team from his profile actions widely interpreted as a public airing of grievances.
The rift has cast a shadow over Atalanta’s season, with pundits questioning whether the Lookman-Juric friction contributed to the defensive lapses exposed against Sassuolo. Lookman, who has three goals in four Champions League games this term, has yet to comment publicly on the dismissal or the ongoing saga, but his social media purge has intensified rumors of a potential January exit—possibly back to the Premier League, where he previously shone at Everton and Fulham.
For Juric, 49, this latest dismissal adds to a nomadic and turbulent managerial career. Last season’s ill-fated spells at Roma (under two months) and Southampton where he oversaw the Saints’ unprecedented mid-season relegation from the Premier League paint a picture of a coach struggling to impose his high-pressing style amid mounting pressure. His appointment at Atalanta was seen as a homecoming of sorts, given his Serie A pedigree at Torino and Verona, but the weight of replacing Gasperini proved too much.
Atalanta’s European form offers a silver lining: seventh in the revamped Champions League league phase with seven points from four matches, including the Marseille triumph. However, domestic woes threaten to derail their top-four aspirations. The club has not named an interim coach, with speculation swirling around figures like former Roma assistant Cristian Chivu or even a shock Gasperini return.
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