Ademola Lookman’s difficult start to the new La Liga season has produced an intriguing tactical question at Atletico Madrid, and Diego Simeone has now provided perhaps the clearest answer: the Nigerian is being asked to play a role that does not naturally suit him.
Lookman has started Atletico’s opening two league matches as a center forward, first in the 2-0 victory over Malaga and then in Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Villarreal. After those two games, the Super Eagles forward is yet to score or provide an assist.
The circumstances behind the experiment are understandable. Alexander Sorloth is injured, while Julian Alvarez has only recently returned and his future at the club remains uncertain. Simeone therefore needed another attacking option and turned to Lookman.
But the Argentine coach has admitted that the position is not ideal for the 28-year-old.
Following the Villarreal draw, Simeone revealed that he apologized to Lookman in the dressing room because he knew the Nigerian was being asked to play outside his natural position.
He also acknowledged that the role was taking away some of the qualities Lookman enjoys most, particularly dribbling, scoring and taking defenders on one-on-one. that admission matters because those qualities have defined Lookman’s best football.
Lookman has always been better when he can attack the game
Diego Simeone has admitted Ademola Lookman is being used out of position at Atletico Madrid, raising questions over whether the Nigerian can produce his best football as a centre-forward.
At Atalanta, where Lookman established himself as one of Europe’s most dangerous attacking players, he was rarely simply a player waiting between two centrebacks for a final pass.
He could start from the left, move into the half space, receive the ball earlier and then attack defenders with his acceleration, close control and dribbling. From there, he could drive towards goal, combine with a team-mate or create an opening for himself.
His numbers reflected that influence. Lookman averaged four successful dribbles per 90 minutes in Serie A, 6.48 touches in the opposition penalty area and 3.4 shots per 90 during his successful spell in Italy. Across 137 appearances for Atalanta, he scored 55 goals and provided 27 assists.
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Those figures underline the type of attacker Atletico signed. Lookman is capable of finishing moves, but he is also at his most dangerous when he can help create them.
That becomes more difficult when he is stationed centrally and expected to occupy defenders for long periods.
A pass to Lookman near the left touchline or in the half-space gives him several options because he can turn, carry the ball, attack the full-back or combine with another player. Receiving the ball with his back to goal in a crowded penalty area gives him considerably less freedom.
Simeone’s system and Lookman’s instincts must meet somewhere in the middle
Ademola Lookman made 12 LaLiga appearances with 4 goals for Atletico Madrid last seaon, He has 0 goal in 2 appearances so far, this Spanish LaLiga 2026/27 season. Photocredit: Imago
The tactical challenge for Simeone is therefore not whether Lookman can play as a striker. He can. The bigger issue is whether Atletico can use him there without removing the qualities that made him so attractive in the first place.
Simeone’s football has traditionally demanded structure, discipline, defensive responsibility and intelligent movement, while Lookman’s game thrives on instinct and individual expression. He wants to receive the ball and make the defender react rather than simply wait for the final pass.
That was evident during his first half season in Madrid. After joining Atletico in January, Lookman scored nine goals and supplied four assists in 24 appearances, contributing a goal or assist every 106 minutes.
His current numbers should therefore not be viewed in isolation, particularly after only two league matches. Instead, they highlight the difference between the role he has been given and the one in which he previously produced his most influential football.
Simeone appears to understand that distinction. after the Villarreal game, the Atletico manager said Lookman was missing the things he enjoys most and promised that the club would give those qualities back once the team’s attacking options became available.
That is encouraging for the Nigerian because it suggests the current arrangement is more of a solution to Atletico’s squad situation than a permanent tactical decision.
Atletico cannot afford to lose the player they signed
Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone deployed Ademola Lookman’s as a lone striker in the club’s 2-0 La Liga win over Malaga.
The return of Alvarez and eventual recovery of Sorloth could give Simeone greater flexibility, but the bigger task will be finding a way to integrate Lookman into the attack without turning him into a conventional number nine.
The solution may not require Atletico to abandon Simeone’s structure. It could simply mean allowing Lookman to receive possession earlier, drift into wider areas and attack defenders before the opposition defence has completely settled.
That would give the Nigerian the freedom to do what he has repeatedly shown he can do: carry the ball, beat opponents and create danger rather than waiting for danger to arrive.
There is also a wider lesson for Atletico. Lookman was not signed merely because he could score goals; he was signed because of the unpredictability he can bring to an attack. His ability to turn a seemingly ordinary possession into a dangerous situation is part of his value.
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Simeone’s own comments suggest he understands that. the injuries and uncertainty in Atletico’s forward line have forced the experiment, and Lookman has responded by working hard for the team even if his individual impact has been limited.
But once Atletico have their attacking options available, Simeone will have an important decision to make. The challenge will be to preserve the structure that has made his team successful while giving Lookman enough freedom to play the football that made him such a formidable attacker in Italy.
Lookman does not necessarily need a different team or a different manager. He may simply need to be allowed to play the game in which he is already at his best.
