‘I have faith in him’ – Simeone backs Lookman ahead Atletico, Bayern Munich UCL clash

Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has urged Nigerian guardant Ademola Lookman to stay diligent and debar vexation arsenic helium works to regain his champion signifier pursuing a hard commencement to the season.

Lookman joined Atletico Madrid from Atalanta during the wintertime transportation model and made an awesome interaction successful the 2nd fractional of past season.

The erstwhile African Footballer of the Year recorded 9 goals and 4 assists successful 24 appearances crossed each competitions, rapidly establishing himself arsenic an important attacking enactment for the Spanish club.

However, the Nigerian planetary has recovered it hard to support that awesome signifier this season, scoring conscionable 2 goals successful 14 appearances.

Speaking astatine a property league connected Monday up of Atletico Madrid's Champions League brushwood with Bayern Munich, Simeone expressed assurance that Lookman would flooded his existent difficulties.

The Argentine manager pointed to Julián Álvarez and Antoine Griezmann arsenic examples of players who experienced akin struggles earlier rediscovering their form.

According to quotes published by Futbol Fantasy, Simeone said: "Well, I don't cognize if you spoke with him personally, if he's playing determination helium doesn't privation to be.

"The information is, I deliberation his play didn't commencement the mode helium would person liked, but Julián besides went done a hard clip past twelvemonth and past came retired connected top, and Griezmann, remember, erstwhile helium wasn't scoring goals, helium came back.

"This is work, this is believing successful what you do. We believe, arsenic I've been saying successful astir each property league astir Lookman, successful the value helium has for us, due to the fact that he's 1 of the players who has the astir one-on-one duels successful the last third, successful the closing stages, where, obviously, a extremity tin come. And I person a batch of religion successful him."

Simeone acknowledged that Lookman is presently going done a hard play but insisted that specified challenges are a mean portion of football.

The Atletico brag warned against allowing the concern to impact the Nigerian's confidence, encouraging him to proceed moving hard until his performances and extremity contributions improve.

"I don't privation him to get frustrated due to the fact that he's not going done his champion moment, due to the fact that it's portion of life, portion of the game, portion of football, and determination are moments you person to spell done until 1 time helium starts scoring a goal, starts playing better, starts assisting, starts feeling, obviously, much alive, arsenic players evidently feel," Simeone added.

Meanwhile, Lookman has recorded 2 extremity involvements successful the Champions League this play but is yet to gain a starting spot successful the competition.

The Super Eagles guardant has truthful acold featured arsenic a substitute against Liverpool, Manchester United and Stuttgart, arsenic helium continues to combat for a much salient relation successful Simeone's team.

‘I person religion successful him’ – Simeone backs Lookman up Atletico, Bayern Munich UCL clash