Ademola Lookman of Atletico Madrid. Copyright: ImagoxCesarxCebollax/xPRESSINx
Ademola Lookman may find himself on the bench when Atletico Madrid face Barcelona in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal on Tuesday, Soccernet.ng reports.
Los Rojiblancos are bracing for a high-stakes showdown as they lock horns with their La Liga rivals. Atletico secured a stunning 2-0 victory in the first leg—thanks to goals from Julian Alvarez and Alexander Sorloth, but their progression is far from guaranteed.
Even with the advantage of a home crowd at the 70,000-capacity Estadio Metropolitano, the former Spanish champions will have to battle hard.
Barcelona are expected to throw everything at this fixture, fueled by a desperation to reclaim European glory. Historically, the Catalans have often had Atletico’s number, meaning Diego Simeone’s men face a grueling test.
But to avoid a catastrophic collapse on Tuesday, Simeone is expected to use a his usual pragmatic approach.
Diego Simeone is arguably the most demanding coaches in Europe. His system need an intense approach from his players that even his former players have frequently complained about the exhausting workload as a reason for their departure.
Since joining Los Rojiblancos in January, Lookman has enjoyed an impressive start, contributing five goals and four assists in 16 appearances.
However, while his offensive output is undeniable, Simeone has expressed concerns regarding Lookman’s defensive work rate. To Simeone, every player must be a tireless runner for the full 90 minutes. But this is a demand that Lookman is still adjusting to.
In a match of this magnitude, Simeone will likely prioritize defensive stability to protect his two-goal cushion. Lookman’s recent struggles to balance his attacking flair with defensive duties make him a prime candidate for the bench.
A similar scenario happened in the Copa del Rey when Barcelona had a four-goal deficit from the first leg. That night, Atletico were overwhelmed, and Lookman struggled to make an impact on either end of the pitch, leading to his substitution in the 58th minute.
Given those past struggles, the Argentine tactician may opt to keep Lookman as a super-sub, introducing him only if the team needs a late attacking spark. It remains to be seen how Simeone will structure his XI, but Lookman will definitely be eager to prove his worth on the big stage.