- Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone addressed Ademola Lookman's dip in form ahead of a Champions League clash against Manchester United
- The Nigerian international winger has struggled since a bright start following his January move from Atalanta to Atletico Madrid
- Simeone pointed to Lookman's work ethic and natural ability as reasons for his confidence in the player's recovery
Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone has publicly backed Ademola Lookman to return to his sharpest form, even as the Nigerian winger continues to go through a difficult spell for club and country.
The England-born Super Eagles winger joined Atletico Madrid from Atalanta in January and made a promising start to life at the Spanish club.
Source: Getty Images
However, his momentum faded in the weeks that followed, with his struggles extending into the international break, where he also failed to hit his best form while on duty with Nigeria.
Simeone addresses Lookman's form
Simeone made the remarks ahead of Atletico's UEFA Champions League fixture against Manchester United, acknowledging that the 27-year-old has not been performing at the level the club expects from him.
"Obviously, I don't think any player can maintain a perfect level all the time; there's always someone out of form. And it's clear that Ademola Lookman isn't playing as he wants to be, or as we want to see him, because he's shown us that," the Argentine manager said via Futbol Fantasy.
"But he works every day to find that player again, that dribbler. He needs to keep dribbling, he needs to lose possession, he needs to keep pushing, because he'll do well, because he has the ability, and because he has a nose for goal."
According to Transfermarkt, Lookman has contributed 10 goals and four assists for Atletico across 33 appearances since his arrival, numbers that reflect a solid but inconsistent contribution from the forward.
Simeone's words suggest that rather than losing faith in Lookman, the club is focused on giving him the space and confidence to rediscover the form that made him one of the most sought-after wingers in Europe before his move to Madrid.
Why Lookman was substituted
Legit.ng previously reported why Lookman was substituted at halftime during Atletico Madrid's 2-1 La Liga victory over Deportivo Alaves.
The Nigerian international had a match to forget, and all stats pointed to the fact that he was struggling during the match and had to come off.
Source: Legit.ng
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