Atletico Madrid forward Ademola Lookman has now made his mark as Nigeria’s third-highest scorer in Champions League history following his goal in Tuesday’s 2-1 loss to Barcelona.
Lamine Yamal put Barcelona ahead with a goal just four minutes into the match at Estadio Metropolitano, and Ferran Torres extended their lead by scoring in the 24th minute, aided by Dani Olmo’s set-up.
Nonetheless, Lookman, a former Africa Player of the Year, narrowed the gap seven minutes later during an eventful first half.
Taking advantage of a precise low pass from Marcos Llorente, Lookman slotted the ball in from close range, keeping Diego Simeone’s side in the contest.
With that goal, he surpassed Victor Ikpeba’s previous record of seven goals in the prestigious tournament, marking his eighth goal in just 21 Champions League appearances.
Currently, only Victor Osimhen of Galatasaray, with 16 goals, and former Inter Milan star Obafemi Martins, with nine goals, have scored more than Lookman in the competition.
Barcelona’s chances of a late comeback were hindered further by Eric García’s red card for a foul on Alexander Sorloth in the 80th minute, ultimately leading to a 3-2 aggregate exit.
This marked the third occasion Atletico Madrid has eliminated the Catalan side at this stage, having previously done so in 2014 and 2016.
In addition to his goal, Lookman delivered a solid overall performance, as highlighted by his statistics before being substituted in the 66th minute for Nicolas Gonzalez.
Since his transfer from Atalanta on a four-and-a-half-year deal, the Super Eagles striker has displayed exceptional form, netting on his debut against Real Betis and matching Atletico Madrid’s best start previously held by Luis Suarez in the 2020/21 season.
“It was a bit of a rollercoaster. Of course, going 2-0 down was challenging, but it was truly a game of two halves,” he told TNT Sports.
“We persevered and fought back, and although we didn’t secure a win tonight, the key takeaway is that we’ve advanced to the semi-finals.”
Atletico manager Simeone, reflecting on the team’s tactical growth and their success against Barcelona throughout different eras, underscored the squad’s shift towards a more offensive strategy.
“Eliminating Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals is no small feat. We’ve faced (Lionel) Messi’s Barcelona and now Yamal’s Barcelona, and we’ve come out on top,” the Argentine stated to the press.
“It’s been 14 years. Watching this team continue to compete fills me with emotion. The players may have changed, and we’ve had to rebuild numerous times, yet here we are among the best four teams in Europe once more. It’s truly fantastic to play in a Champions League semi-final!”
Atletico Madrid is set to clash with either English team Arsenal or Sporting CP in the semi-finals for a shot at reaching the final.
Compiled by SportArena.au
Fanpage: SportArena.au.
LiveScore – Live Sports Results & Odds.
