Ademola Lookman: How Super Eagles & Atletico Madrid star rated vs Espanyol

Ademola Lookman endured another difficult outing for Atlético Madrid as the Super Eagles forward recorded the lowest player rating among his teammates in their 1-0 victory over Espanyol on Saturday.

The Nigerian international returned to Diego Simeone’s starting lineup after coming off the bench during Atlético’s midweek Champions League victory over Manchester United.

However, his opportunity to impress lasted only 45 minutes as he struggled to make a significant impact before being replaced at half-time.

Atlético eventually secured all three points through substitute Alex Baena, who struck late in the second half to settle a closely contested encounter.

However, Lookman would be more delighted in the result than his individual performance inside the RCDE Stadium.

Lookman struggles as Atlético Madrid secure late victory

Ademola Lookman found it difficult to impose himself against an Espanyol side that matched the visitors throughout the first half.

The forward, one of Nigeria’s top earners, had limited opportunities to influence the contest, while one promising attacking situation ended in frustration. That was when Jonathan David fired over the crossbar instead of squaring the ball to Lookman, who was better placed to receive a pass.

His overall statistics mirrored a frustrating afternoon. Lookman completed 11 of his 13 attempted passes, managed just one shot, which failed to hit the target, and lost possession six times. He also failed to complete either of his two attempted dribbles.

According to SofaScore, Lookman received a 6.4 rating, the lowest among Atlético Madrid players who featured in the match.

David was the next-lowest-rated Atlético player with 6.5, while Rodrigo Mendoza received 6.6 after coming off the bench. Alejandro Grimaldo finished with a 6.9 rating.

In contrast, Baena was Atlético’s standout performer, earning an 8.0 rating after coming on shortly after the hour mark and scoring the decisive goal.

Julián Álvarez, who replaced Lookman at half-time, also made a strong contribution. The Argentine forward registered a 7.6 rating after providing the assist for Baena’s winner.

Lookman’s latest performance adds to a difficult run of individual displays this season. His 6.4 rating against Espanyol was not his lowest, with the forward receiving a 6.0 after Atlético’s 3-0 defeat to Athletic Club on September 5. He earned the same rating in the 2-1 victory over Alavés on October 10 and recorded 6.2 despite Atlético’s 3-0 win against Real Sociedad on September 13.

His strongest performance came on August 29, when he scored during Atlético’s 3-1 victory over Sevilla and earned a 7.6 rating.

The Super Eagles star will get the chance to boost his fortunes when Atletico face Stuttgart in the Champions League and Deportivo la Coruna in La Liga over the next seven days.