Diego Simeone has hailed Ademola Lookman for his impressive Madrid derby performance despite Atletico Madrid’s 3-2 defeat to Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu.
The Super Eagles winger opened the scoring in the 33rd minute, finishing from close range after a well-worked move to give Atlético an early lead. However, Real Madrid responded strongly, with Vinicius Junior scoring twice to seal victory for the hosts.
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Despite the narrow defeat, Lookman continued his remarkable streak of scoring in major debut appearances for the Rojiblancos, silencing the Bernabéu crowd with a clinical 33rd-minute opener.
Speaking during a post-match conference, Simeone praised Lookman’s development, highlighting both his attacking impact and his improving defensive contribution.
“Lookman is improving; he’s been working very hard. He’s been playing in different attacking roles, and we need him to do that,” Simeone said.
“We are also helping him get better at defending so he can support the team. He’s already able to do that because he’s a young player with a big heart and a strong desire to learn and improve.
“That’s fantastic, and hopefully he’ll continue to deliver important moments like he did today.”
Since joining Atlético, Lookman has made a strong impression, scoring on several key debuts, including in the Madrid derby, Copa del Rey, and UEFA Champions League.
He was substituted early in the second half alongside Antoine Griezmann and Johnny Cardoso, as Simeone introduced Alexander Sorloth, Nahuel Molina, and Nico Gonzalez.
Lookman has now registered nine goal involvements, five goals and four assists in 14 appearances across all competitions for Atlético.
While Atletico remains in a solid fourth place, the focus now shifts to maintaining their Champions League qualifying position as the season enters its final stretch.
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