“A difficult decision” – Simeone reveals why he benched Ademola Lookman against Club Brugge

Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone has admitted that leaving Super Eagles attacker Ademola Lookman out of the starting lineup against Club Brugge was a call, Afrik-Foot reports.

​Atletico Madrid welcomed Club Brugge to the Estadio Metropolitano on Wednesday for the second leg of their UEFA Champions League round of 16 playoffs.

While the first leg ended in a thrilling 3-3 draw, the gap in quality and pedigree meant Atleti were heavy favorites to finish the job in front of their home fans.

​Lookman, who scored in the first leg, entered the fixture as one of the most in-form players in the squad.

Consequently, many expected the Nigerian international to lead the line for Los Colchoneros. However, Simeone surprised supporters by opting for Alex Baena in that role instead.

​While Baena put in a decent shift, he failed to register a goal or an assist during his 70 minutes on the pitch.

He was eventually replaced by Lookman, and it took the former Atalanta star just six minutes to make an impact. Lookman provided the assist for Alexander Sørloth’s second goal of the night, extending the lead to 3-1.

Lookman nearly found the net himself late in the game, but his effort was blocked. Nevertheless, that assist brought his tally to seven goal contributions in seven games since joining the club in January.

​Simeone Explains Reason For Benching Ademola Lookman

​Speaking after the match, an upbeat Diego Simeone addressed the decision to start Lookman on the bench. He noted that while it was a difficult choice given the Nigerian’s potency, he felt the need to rotate the squad.

​”It wasn’t easy to leave Lookman and Griezmann out,” Simeone said, per AS.

“Julián [Alvarez] had been playing well lately. You have to make decisions, and it excites me to see that those who come on do so in a way that supports the team’s philosophy. It was difficult; it’s not an easy decision.”

​Simeone further praised Lookman’s attitude upon entering the game:

​”I loved how Lookman came on; he should have played because he’d been scoring goals, but Sørloth played instead. He’ll improve with time; his style is naturally attacking.”

​Following their victory over Club Brugge, Atletico Madrid will face either Liverpool or Tottenham in the next round of the Champions League.

In the meantime, they shift their focus to La Liga for a fixture against Oviedo, where Lookman is expected to return to the starting XI.