AFCON 2025
Ademola Lookman wasted no times as he grabbed his first goal and assist in his debut match for Atlético Madrid against Real Betis at the Estadio Benito Villamarin.
Lookman officially joined the Spanish side on Tuesday for €35m plus €5m add-ons, and immediately resumed training with the Riyald Metropolitano.
And just few minutes into his debut match for Athletico he scored the second of the night against Real Betis in the 37th minute marking his 100th career goal.
In this article, we will look at three things we learnt from Ademola Lookman’s debut match against Real Betis.
1) Instant Tactical Adaptability
While many would have given him the time to settle into the team just after arriving Madrid few days ago. Diego Simeone immediately trusted the Nigerian winger with the starting lineup call against Real Batis in the Copa del Rey quarter finals match .
And yet again, Ademola Lookman showed his tactical adaptability by scoring the second goal of the night in the 37th minute, and also ended up assisting Antoine Griezmann for the fourth goal.
Ademola Lookman started the game operating from the right flank, but as usual, he was always drifting into the midfield fitting perfectly into the Diego Semione style of play.
2) A Promising Partnership with Griezmann
In his debut, Lookman has just shown that he is not in the team to compete with Griezmann for playing time, but rather to work with him.
Lookman’s movement off the ball drew defenders away, creating pockets of space for Griezmann to operate in, and his willingness to make selfless runs set up that fine Griezmann goal.
In the 62nd minute, Lookman has the ball at the edge of the box, but he did not try to force a shot from a tight angle, instead he delivered a perfect pass to the French man who converted Atletico Madrid’s fourth goal of the day.
The game today, truely showed that Lookman understands what Simeone expects from him, a creative player that can score and as well assist others to score.
3) Technical Control in Tight Spaces
Beyond his goal and assist for the night, the most impressive aspect of Lookman’s game was his ability to navigate congested midfield areas without losing possession.
Historically, Atletico have struggled against Low block teams that crowd the penalty box, but Lookman provided a new technical dimension; the ability to bypass defenders through close control rather just strength and speed.
I’m ghe 28th minute, Lookman received the ball near the touchline with his back to goal, marked tightly by two Betis defenders. Instead of playing a safe backward pass, he utilized a swift body feint to nutmeg the first defender and dribbled past the second, opening up the entire field for Atletico to attack.
This is an Ademola Lookman rare abilities, creating something from nothing, and he has just brought it down to the Riyadh Metropolitano.
While it is only one match, Lookman’s debut for Atletico Madrid was a resounding success. Similarly, he has shown he has the qualities and talents to thrive under Diego Simeone system, and might be leading the red and white side to a major silverware this season.
