Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman reacts to Atalanta loss vs Real Madrid

Ademola Lookman feels that Atalanta deserved more from their 3-2 loss to Real Madrid in Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League match at Gewiss Stadium.

Despite competing against players like Vinicius Jr, Kylian Mbappé, and Jude Bellingham for the match’s most valuable player award, the Nigerian forward believed Atalanta had moments in the game that could have turned things in their favour.

Speaking after the match, Lookman said: “Of course, there were moments when we could have done better, but I believe we stood up to Real Madrid, and that is important for our growth.”

The 26-year-old found some positives in the game despite the defeat. “It was a tough match, they took their chances. We knew how it would be, we were unlucky, but we’re holding our heads high,” Lookman added.

“We are disappointed with the result because we felt we could have done more, but there’s also pride. We showed that we can compete against a team full of champions.”

Atalanta were up against Real Madrid’s powerful attack, which included Mbappé, Vinicius Jr, and Bellingham, who scored all three of their goals. Atalanta managed two, with Charles De Ketelaere converting a penalty and Lookman scoring the second goal, bringing the score to 3-2 after Real Madrid had led 3-1 at halftime.

Lookman’s all-round performance was praised by UEFA, but Atalanta’s hopes of finishing in the top 8 for automatic qualification to the Round of 16 suffered a setback. The team remained on 11 points and dropped out of the top 8 with two matches left in the group stage.

Real Madrid’s victory took them to 16 points, boosting their confidence as the defending champions secured their third win out of six matches in the new group stage format of the UEFA Champions League.

On a personal note, Lookman continued his impressive form in 2024, scoring in three consecutive matches for Atalanta. His goal tally in the UEFA Champions League now stands at three, with 11 goals across all competitions.