Ademola Lookman has admitted that Atlético Madrid face a stern challenge against Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey final.
The Red and Whites are chasing their 11th Copa del Rey title as they prepare to battle Sociedad at the Estadio de La Cartuja on Saturday night.
Atlético last lifted the trophy in the 2012/13 season, when they defeated city rivals Real Madrid in the final.
Manager Diego Simeone will lead his side into the clash in high spirits following their midweek UEFA Champions League victory over Barcelona.
Read Also:Lookman Eyes First Atlético Title In Copa Del Rey Final Against Real Sociedad
Atlético are unbeaten in their last 10 encounters with Sociedad, but Lookman insists that record counts for little heading into such a high-stakes match.
Lookman On Sociedad Clash
“It will be a very tough game, but we believe we have a strong chance to win an important trophy for the club,” Lookman told ESPN.
“The importance is tremendous as players and as a group.
“We have prepared the best way and we will be ready for it.”
Lookman has registered two goals and two assists in three appearances for Atlético in the competition.
By Adeboye Amosu
3 Comments
I never knew how good adebaba was untill that champions league last tie vs barca….
Ade is very good on one versus one(just his coach has been saying)..just give him the ball and put a defender in front of him…the job is done…
He is pacy off the ball…
He is tricky on the ball. Gat good footwork…
He gat amazing shot power…shooting ability too…
He is good in small pocket spaces…
Keep improving bro….
Lookman dookman. Lookman bookman . Lookman jukeman. You are far better than others.
Heaven bless Lookman and all deserving Super Eagles wingers.
After watching the Copa del Rey final, everyone can now see what I was talking about when I criticised Simeone’s tactics and his tactical treatment of Lookman.
It is against inferior opponents that Diego Simeone’s tactics always fails. Simeone plays defensively, deploying his players to defend behind the ball when out of possession.
He has made Athletico Madrid the ‘Park-the-bus’ team. This works well when you’re playing giants like Real Madrid and Barcelona, but ‘parking the bus’ tactics against weaker teams becomes a vulnerability, because your team would lack the imagination to unlock the defence of weaker teams because it neglects attacking acumen in favour of defensive thinking.
I have watched Lookman from his early days at Everton, as a player he is constantly being putdown and told by coaches that he lacks something or the other. This affected his self-confidence playing in England. He was constantly substituted (at Leicester and Fulham) by coaches who did not know how to use his particular set of attacking skill.
Many misunderstand Lookman as an out and out winger. His career was failing when he joined the Super Eagles (after being misused by another coach at Borussia) but the potential was there. Initially, even with the SE he was alternately being substituted with Moses Simon.
What Nigeria gave Lookman was confidence and belief. Armed with these, his true potential exploded to the point where England today consider him a missed opportunity. However, England never gave Lookman the chance and only exacerbated his professional insecurity with substitutions, and constant criticism.
Lookman is a player that thrives on self-belief. If you undermine that – tactically or psychologically, you damage his playing ability.