The dismissal of Ivan Jurić at Atalanta BC — what went wrong, how the Ademola Lookman saga contributed, and why the club pulled the trigger now.

The appointment and high hopes

Jurić was appointed in June 2025 to replace Gian Piero Gasperini — who left after nine years in charge and left behind a strong legacy at Atalanta. (Reuters)

The expectation was that Jurić, a former player and assistant under Gasperini, would carry forward the club’s attacking, intense identity while consolidating their status in Serie A and in Europe. (Reuters)

But from early on things didn’t settle smoothly.

Poor results and slide in form

While Atalanta began the season with a kind of unbeaten streak (nine matches without defeat in the league) this was heavily padded with draws — seven of those nine were draws. (Times of Malta Sport)

Then things worsened: back-to-back defeats (against Udinese first, then a 3-0 home loss to US Sassuolo Calcio) triggered the crisis. (NDTV Sports)

By the time of his dismissal Jurić’s side sat 13th in Serie A after 11 matches — inexplicable for a club that had finished 3rd the prior season.

They had only two league wins to show for the campaign and trailed the league leaders by 11 points with far fewer matches played. (Reuters)

The club’s official statement confirmed Jurić and his coaching staff were relieved of their duties. (Atalanta)

The Lookman saga: underlying unrest

Parallel to the poor results was growing internal strife, most visibly around Ademola Lookman. Several issues stood out:

• Lookman submitted a transfer request in the summer after a failed move to Inter Milan (reportedly €50 m).

• He subsequently missed pre-season training and returned late — five days before the season started. (Vanguard News)

• Jurić publicly indicated that Lookman lacked what the coach insisted were essential traits for Atalanta: “spirit, humility, a good feeling for the shirt.” He added: “I don’t have to beg him to play.” (ThisDayLive)

• Further warning signs: Lookman unfollowed Atalanta’s official social-media page and deleted posts related to the club after a touchline row with Jurić, when he was substituted in a Champions League match. (Vanguard News)

• Fans also turned visible in their frustration: a banner appeared reading “No.11 reintegrated but for us you remain ungrateful.” (Football Italia)

In short: a high-profile player felt aggrieved, morale and discipline looked fragile, and the coach’s public criticism of his own squad started to suggest cracks in the dressing room.

Why the sack happened now

Putting the threads together, the club likely reached a tipping point due to a combination of factors:

1. Results deterioration: From top-3 last season to mid-table after 11 games is a serious regression.

2. The home defeat (3-0 to Sassuolo) was probably seen as unacceptable. (SuperSport)

3. Loss of identity: Atalanta had built a reputation on energy, attacking football and a strong collective spirit under Gasperini.

4. With the change in manager and evident internal issues, that identity felt compromised.

5. Commentary suggests tactically and culturally things were “off”. (Yahoo Sports)

6. Internal unrest: The Lookman saga became symbolic of things going astray – star player disenchantment, public airing of issues, and questions about squad unity.

7. Risk vs expectation: For a club like Atalanta, not contending for Europe places is risky both financially and reputationally.

8. The board likely judged that time was running out for Jurić to turn things around.

Hence the decision: relieve Jurić and his staff now, rather than let the slide deepen.

The aftermath and what comes next

Immediately after the sacking, Atalanta announced that Jurić was out (November 10, 2025). (ANSA.it)

The club moved quickly to appoint Raffaele Palladino (contract until June 2027) as his replacement. (Reuters)

Palladino comes from a successful albeit short stint at AC Fiorentina and has shown he can manage at top-level, but he inherits a team destabilised, underperforming, and in need of recalibration. (Times of Malta Sport)

For Atalanta the immediate priorities include:

• Restoring squad cohesion and reaffirming club values (which were under question).

• Re-instating the attacking, confident brand of football Atalanta fans expect.

• Stabilising the season before the board contemplates longer-term strategic goals (e.g., European qualification, player development).

Key takeaways

• Jurić was arguably always under pressure: stepping into the shoes of Gasperini is never easy.

• Poor results plus visible internal dysfunction (Lookman episode being emblematic) accelerated his exit.

• The club chose to act swiftly rather than risk further erosion of its platform.

• The new manager has a difficult job: fix the culture, restore identity, and salvage the season.