Simeone loses trust in Lookman after Barcelona match

Diego Simeone's trust in Ademola Lookman seems to be fading. The Atlético Madrid coach, who had earlier supported the Nigerian to find his best form, left him on the bench during the loss to Barcelona. Simeone had another substitution option but chose not to use it.

Before the match, Simeone had told Lookman not to get frustrated with his poor form. He said that hard work and belief would help him regain his confidence. "I don’t want him to get frustrated because he’s not going through his best moment. This is work, this is believing in what you do," the Argentine said.

But not using Lookman in the Barcelona match has raised doubts about Simeone's confidence in him. According to Spanish newspaper Sport, Simeone made only four substitutions while Atlético was trying to get back into the game. Lookman remained unused even though he had another chance to come on.

Simeone kept Julian Alvarez on the pitch for the whole match, even as fans booed him. Meanwhile, Alexander Sørloth, David Hancko, Johnny Cardoso, and Jonathan David came on in three different phases. David joined the game in the 78th minute, but Lookman was not given the chance to play as Atlético fought for a comeback.

This decision is frustrating for Lookman. He had played in all 11 of Atlético’s LaLiga matches before facing Barcelona but had only scored once. That goal came during their 3-1 win over Sevilla in August. He also had one goal and one assist in four Champions League games this season.

Despite worries about his playing time, Spanish newspaper Marca says Atlético has not lost faith in the 28-year-old. "No one at Atlético Madrid has lost faith in Ademola Lookman. Both the coaching staff and the dressing room are united in their determination to help him rediscover his best form and, above all, regain his confidence and morale. Nobody doubts his ability, and his attitude has never been called into question," the publication reported.

Some Atlético fans are also supporting Lookman. One fan suggested that Simeone should take the blame for the team’s poor performance instead of Lookman. "The thing is Lookman was great last season because he was new and hadn’t been coached by Simeone yet, similar situation with Kang in even all the players, you should only lose faith in Simeone not anyone," Kensuke Qiang wrote.

Another fan asked why Lookman was not given the same patience as Alvarez, who has faced his own struggles at the club. "Julian wanted a new club a few months ago, started and played like shit. Why can’t Lookman get the same grace?" the fan questioned.

Lookman is back in Nigeria for the international break. He will aim to lead the Super Eagles to victories in their important 2027 AFCON qualifiers double-header against Tanzania.