Barely used in the 2-0 win over Levante, Ademola Lookman has received public backing from Diego Simeone. The Atlético Madrid coach compares his start to the season with those of Julián Álvarez and Antoine Griezmann.
Fourteen minutes. That is the playing time Ademola Lookman got last Saturday in Atlético Madrid’s 2-0 win over Levante, according to Sporting Life. For a Nigeria international forward, that is a slim share.
Asked about his player, Diego Simeone chose to back him. The Atlético coach expressed confidence in the Nigerian’s ability to get back to his best, according to the same source, and pointed to precedents in his dressing room to illustrate the patience he is asking for.
Two goals in fourteen appearances
The forward’s numbers in the rojiblanco shirt remain modest: two goals and one assist in 14 appearances in all competitions, according to Sporting Life. In the Champions League, he has one goal and one assist in three matches.
Simeone cited two forwards in the squad to put that start in perspective. “He didn’t start the way he would have wanted, but last season Julian went through it too and came out of it. And Griezmann as well,” said the coach, quoted by Sporting Life. In both cases, he refers to a difficult spell that was overcome.
AFCON 2025 as a reference point
The contrast with the national team is striking. At AFCON 2025 in Morocco, Ademola Lookman scored three goals and provided four assists in six matches, and was named in the team of the tournament, according to Daily Post. Nigeria finished third in the competition.
That record was not enough to earn him a place among the ten nominees for the 2026 African Player of the Year award, whose shortlist was unveiled by CAF, according to Daily Post and Apex Football. Victor Osimhen is also absent from it.
Bayern Munich up next
Atlético Madrid face Bayern Munich in the Champions League, Sporting Life reports. Lookman, already a scorer and provider in the competition this season, will go into that match with this European record behind him.
Simeone did not present his forward as a player to be cast aside, but as a player whose integration takes time, like Julián Álvarez and Antoine Griezmann.