Ademola Lookman reacts as Atletico Madrid survive Barcelona scare in UCL clash
Ademola Lookman proved once again that he is a player for the big occasion as Atletico Madrid secured a spot in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals.
Despite a narrow 2–1 loss to Barcelona at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano on the night, the Spanish side progressed 3–2 on aggregate.
Ademola Lookman goal sends Atletico Madrid to semi-final
The Super Eagles star scored the decisive goal that kept his team ahead across the two legs, ensuring a tense night ended in celebration for the hosts.
The match started poorly for the home side as Barcelona took early control. Lamine Yamal forced an early save before finding the net to give the visitors the lead.
Ferran Torres soon added a second, leveling the tie on aggregate and leaving the Madrid fans stunned.
However, Ademola Lookman reacted quickly, finishing a simple chance to pull a goal back and restore the aggregate lead for Diego Simeone’s men.
Since joining from Atalanta in the winter transfer window, the 28-year-old winger has made a massive impact.
This strike was his second in the competition this season, following his goal against Club Brugge in February.
Overall, the Nigeria international has now recorded six goals and four assists in all competitions for his new club.
Nigeria international reacts after Champions League clash
The second half was a battle of nerves. Barcelona thought they had scored again through Torres, but VAR ruled the goal out for offside.
The visitors’ hopes faded further when Eric Garcia received a red card late in the game. Despite playing 66 minutes before being replaced by Nicolas Gonzalez, Lookman’s contribution remained the talking point of the evening.
Speaking after the final whistle, the forward reflected on the difficult nature of the match and the resilience shown by his teammates.
”Going 2-0 down [was tough]. A game of two halves, really, we stuck in there, we dug in. We didn’t get the win tonight but we’re through to the semi-finals,” the winger told TNT after the game.
Atletico Madrid will now prepare for the semi-final, where they will face either Arsenal or Sporting Lisbon.
