Ademola Lookman announced his arrival at Atlético Madrid in emphatic fashion, delivering a goal and an assist on his debut to help Diego Simeone’s side seal a commanding 5–0 win over Real Betis in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals.
The Nigerian forward’s performance immediately caught the attention of his new manager, who was quick to underline his growing value to the team.
Ademola Lookman makes statement debut for Atletico Madrid
Signed from Atalanta in the winter transfer window, Ademola Lookman stepped straight into Atlético Madrid’s attack and made an instant impact at the Estadio de La Cartuja.
The Super Eagles star struck Atlético’s third goal of the night with a calm finish on the counter, marking the 100th goal of his professional career.
Lookman’s influence extended beyond scoring. Early in the second half, he showed composure and awareness to create space before setting up Antoine Griezmann for the fourth goal, effectively ending Real Betis’ hopes of a comeback.
He was withdrawn after 79 minutes to warm applause, having played a key role in a dominant display that booked Atlético’s place in the semi-finals.
Diego Simeone explains Lookman’s unique qualities
After the match, Diego Simeone offered a detailed assessment of Ademola Lookman’s debut and why his profile stands out within the squad.
“His characteristics speak for themselves. He is a different player to all the ones we have, a specialist in one-on-one duels although he also has associative play. That allows us to play with different positions. We are not knowing.
He had a very good impact on the team, he felt good, hopefully we can help him to be an even better footballer and he can help us to grow as a team,” as reported via Football Espana.
With a contract running until 2030, the Nigeria international is expected to play an important role as the club continues its push for Copa del Rey success.
If his debut is any indication, Ademola Lookman looks set to become a key figure in Atlético Madrid’s plans over the coming months.