Ademola Lookman delivered a sensational all-round performance as Atlético Madrid swept aside Barcelona with a commanding 4-0 victory in the first leg of their Copa del Rey clash.
The Nigeria forward was at the heart of everything dangerous for Diego Simeone’s men, producing a display full of pace, precision and end product on a memorable night at the Metropolitano.
Lookman opened the scoring with a clinical finish before turning provider, laying on a perfectly weighted assist to underline his influence in the final third. His intelligent movement, composure on the ball and direct running repeatedly unsettled the Barcelona backline, who struggled to contain his threat throughout the contest.
Under the guidance of Diego Simeone, Atlético Madrid were ruthless, and Lookman’s performance epitomised their dominance as they took a huge step toward the final.
The Nigerian international’s red-hot form in the competition continues to gather momentum. In just two Copa del Rey appearances this season, Lookman has now recorded two goals and two assists, establishing himself as one of the standout performers of the tournament.
Direct, decisive and devastating in attack, Lookman was simply unplayable on the night — and Barcelona had no answers.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
