Atletico Madrid supervisor Diego Simeone has urged Nigerian ahead Ademola Lookman to stay affected person and keep away from frustration as he works to regain his finest kind following a troublesome begin to the season.
Lookman joined Atletico Madrid from Atalanta throughout the winter switch window and made a formidable impression in the second half of final season.
The former African Footballer of the Year recorded 9 objectives and 4 assists in 24 appearances throughout all competitions, shortly establishing himself as an essential attacking choice for the Spanish membership.
However, the Nigerian worldwide has discovered it troublesome to keep up that spectacular kind this season, scoring simply two objectives in 14 appearances.
Speaking at a press convention on Monday ahead of Atletico Madrid’s Champions League encounter with Bayern Munich, Simeone expressed confidence that Lookman would overcome his present difficulties.
The Argentine supervisor pointed to Julián Álvarez and Antoine Griezmann as examples of gamers who skilled comparable struggles earlier than rediscovering their kind.
According to quotes revealed by Futbol Fantasy, Simeone stated: “Well, I don’t know if you spoke with him personally, if he’s playing somewhere he doesn’t want to be.
“The reality is, I believe his season did not begin the way in which he would have appreciated, however Julián additionally went by a troublesome time final yr after which got here out on prime, and Griezmann, keep in mind, when he wasn’t scoring objectives, he got here again.
“This is work, this is believing in what you do. We believe, as I’ve been saying in almost every press conference about Lookman, in the importance he has for us, because he’s one of the players who has the most one-on-one duels in the final third, in the closing stages, where, obviously, a goal can come. And I have a lot of faith in him.”
Simeone acknowledged that Lookman is at the moment going by a troublesome interval however insisted that such challenges are a traditional a part of soccer.
The Atletico boss warned towards permitting the state of affairs to have an effect on the Nigerian’s confidence, encouraging him to proceed working laborious till his performances and objective contributions enhance.
“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, and there are moments you have to go through until one day he starts scoring a goal, starts playing better, starts assisting, starts feeling, obviously, more alive, as players obviously feel,” Simeone added.
Meanwhile, Lookman has recorded two objective involvements in the Champions League this season however is but to earn a beginning place in the competitors.
The Super Eagles ahead has to this point featured instead towards Liverpool, Manchester United and Stuttgart, as he continues to struggle for a extra distinguished position in Simeone’s crew.
