Ademola Lookman impressed with a superb performance as Atalanta fought hard but ultimately fell 3-2 to Real Madrid in their UEFA Champions League clash on Tuesday.
Despite the defeat, the Nigerian forward took pride in the way his team competed against a star-studded Madrid side.
Kylian Mbappé, Vinicius Junior, and Jude Bellingham put Real Madrid in control, but Lookman was quick to respond, scoring for Atalanta and pulling one back after a dominant first-half display from the Spanish giants.
Atalanta continued to push forward and almost equalized with the last kick of the game, but a teammate’s shot flew over the bar, sealing their narrow defeat.
Despite the loss, Lookman was named UEFA’s Man of the Match for his impressive performance, which included a crucial goal and a near-assist in the final moments.
Speaking to Sky Sport Italia and UEFA.com, Lookman expressed his pride in his team’s efforts, emphasizing the positives they could take away from the game.
“It was a tough game, and they took their chances when they had them,” Lookman said.
“We knew what kind of game it would be, and while we were unlucky, we can hold our heads high. We are disappointed with the result because we felt we could have done more, but we showed that we can compete against a team full of champions.”
Lookman added, “We created chances and there are many positives to take from this performance. Of course, there are areas we can improve, but it was another great step forward for us. We showed quality in moments and we can learn a lot from today.”
Atalanta may have fallen short on the night, but their performance against one of Europe’s top teams is seen as a significant step in their growth as a club.