Ademola Lookman arrived at Atletico Madrid with the promise of becoming an important attacking weapon for Diego Simeone, but his second season in Spain is beginning to present a different challenge.
The Super Eagles forward made an immediate impression after joining the Spanish club from Atalanta in February 2026, contributing nine goals and four assists in 24 appearances across all competitions.
His performances helped Atletico reach the Copa del Rey final and the Champions League semi finals, raising expectations ahead of his first full campaign in Madrid.
At 29, Lookman was expected to bring goals, creativity and a direct attacking threat to Simeone’s side. Instead, the Nigerian has struggled to reproduce the form that made him one of the club’s most exciting attacking options last season.
The numbers underline the change. Lookman has managed just two goals and one assist in 14 appearances across all competitions in the 2026/27 campaign, with his only league goal coming in August’s 3-1 victory over Sevilla.
His difficulties have also begun to affect his involvement in the team.
Lookman played only 14 minutes in Atletico’s 2-0 victory over Levante last Saturday, having also been substituted at half-time in some of the club’s previous league matches.
For a player who made such an encouraging start in Madrid, the reduction in playing time raises questions about how he can restore his place in Simeone’s plans.
The tactical adjustment Lookman must make
One of Lookman’s challenges has been finding his most effective position in Simeone’s system.
The Nigerian has been deployed in a central attacking role at different points, although he is more comfortable operating from the left, where he can use his pace, dribbling and ability to take on defenders.
Atletico’s demands also require more than attacking quality. Simeone expects defensive discipline and tactical responsibility, meaning Lookman must balance his natural attacking instincts with the work required when his team does not have possession.
That adjustment is important, but it should not come at the expense of the qualities that made him successful in Italy and during the second half of last season.
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Lookman needs to bring back the confidence that made him such a dangerous attacker at Atalanta and during his initial months at Atletico.
His ability to take on defenders, create space and unsettle opponents in the final third remains one of his biggest strengths. However, those moments have not come consistently enough this season.
Simeone has acknowledged the value of that quality, particularly Lookman’s ability to win one-on-one duels in attacking areas.
The forward must now translate that ability into more decisive contributions. Taking responsibility in possession, attacking defenders with conviction and creating opportunities for teammates could help him become a more influential figure again.
Confidence alone will not be enough. Lookman also needs to become more effective when he reaches dangerous positions.
His decision making in the final third, composure in front of goal and ability to create chances for teammates are areas where greater consistency would strengthen his case for more playing time.
Intelligent movement into dangerous spaces and better contributions to Atletico’s attacking build-up could also make him more valuable to Simeone.
However, the responsibility does not rest entirely with the player. Atletico must also find ways to get the best out of his attacking qualities and use him in positions that allow him to influence matches.
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Despite the forward’s difficult spell, Simeone has continued to express belief in his ability to recover his form.
Rather than allowing the Nigerian to become discouraged by his reduced playing time and lack of goals, the Atletico manager has urged him to remain patient and trust his work.
“I have a lot of faith in him. I don’t want him to get frustrated because he’s not going through his best moment, because it’s part of life, part of the game, part of football”, Simeone said, via Tribal Football.
“This is work, this is believing in what you do.”
Those words offer encouragement for Lookman, but the forward will ultimately need to turn that confidence into performances on the pitch.
Lookman is in contention to feature when Atletico host Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday.
The fixture presents an opportunity for the Super Eagles forward to put his difficult spell behind him and remind Simeone of the qualities he brought to the team when he first arrived from Italy.
A strong performance could help rebuild his momentum, although regaining a regular starting place will require consistency rather than one encouraging appearance.
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