Simeone Hails Ademola Lookman as Important Player

Ayomikun Elemikan

October 16, 2026
2 min read
Diego Simeone

Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has heaped praise on Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman, describing him as a crucial squad member after the Nigerian international broke a six-game goal drought to seal a 2-0 victory over Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League.

Coming off the bench in the second half at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Lookman made an immediate impact in the 79th minute.

He reacted quickest inside the box to slot home a rebound after Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens parried an initial strike from teammate Jonathan David.

The strike marked a major milestone for the 28-year-old forward, representing his 100th career senior club goal according to football data archives, alongside being only his second goal across all competitions this season.

Speaking to journalists after the match, Simeone lauded the forward’s attacking contributions, highlighting his impressive career statistics and elite ability to beat defenders in tight spaces.

“He is a very important player; he has very good stats, he scores goals, he is good in one-on-one situations,” Simeone said.

While acknowledging that Lookman is still working toward hitting peak, consistent form throughout the campaign, the Argentine manager commended his poacher’s instinct during the decisive moment.

“He is not at that point where that comes through, but he has rediscovered his scoring touch. He had the instinct to follow up the play and the rebound worked in his favour. We got the win we needed,” he added.

Atletico had taken a lightning-fast lead inside the opening minute through Pablo Barrios before securing the three points following Leny Yoro’s 74th-minute red card for a professional foul on David. The result stretches Atletico’s winning momentum to five consecutive matches, while compounding Manchester United’s struggles in a five-game winless run.