On Monday, August 24, 2026, Atlético Madrid’s manager Diego Simeone expressed his regrets to Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman for positioning him in an unfamiliar role during the team’s 2–2 draw with Villarreal.
In a media briefing, Simeone addressed the matter candidly:
“I have to apologize to Lookman; I know that’s not his position,” Simeone said.
The Argentine coach mentioned that injuries to Alexander Sørloth and the gradual return of Julián Álvarez to full fitness compelled him to utilize Lookman in the role of a striker.
Simeone acknowledged that this positioning curtailed some of Lookman’s notable talents, such as his proficiency in dribbling, ability to challenge defenders, and capability to create scoring opportunities from wider areas.
“The situation with injuries has made us use him there, but we know his best qualities come when he plays in his natural position.”
Softfootball reports that Lookman struggled as a striker, lacking the freedom to demonstrate his typical attacking prowess.
Given that Sørloth and Álvarez are still working towards complete fitness, it is likely that Lookman will continue to occupy this forward position for the next few weeks, depending on squad dynamics.
