MADRID — Atletico Madrid could be without striker Ademola Lookman when it takes on Arsenal looking to return to the UEFA Champions League final for the first time in a decade.
Atletico and Arsenal meet on Wednesday in Madrid in the first leg of the semifinals, seeking their first Champions League title, AP reported.
Lookman has been key for Atletico since arriving from Atalanta this year, but he missed the last two games because of a muscle issue from the Copa del Rey final on April 19.
He practiced with the rest of the squad in the last few days and seemed ready to make his return. But Atletico coach Simeone said on Tuesday the Nigeria striker was still a doubt to start at Metropolitano Stadium.
“We’ll see if he recovers well tomorrow,” said Simeone, who turned 56 on Tuesday. “He still has some discomfort.”
Lookman has seven goals for Atletico since arriving, one of them in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Barcelona, when Atletico advanced 3-2 on aggregate.
“His arrival has made a very positive impact on the team,” Simeone said. “He brings new things to our attack. He has been working much better in the defensive phase as well.”
The 28-year-old Lookman said it’s been great to have the trust of Simeone and admitted he has improved in all areas under the coach.
“My all-around game has improved,” he said. “Definitely, my defensive side of the game has also improved, which has allowed me to be more of a complete player who can help the squad even more.”
Lookman was born in London, and signed with Atletico in February. He played for Fulham and Leicester before joining Atalanta in 2022. He also previously played for Leipzig and Everton.
“Atleti is one of the biggest clubs in the world, with top players,” he said. “The team is amazing, the squad is amazing, so it’s a blessing to be here. The work that we’ve shown together has been amazing, so its been great.”
Atletico is playing in its fourth Champions League semi-final since Simeone arrived in late 2011. It lost finals to Real Madrid in 2014 and 2016.
“It´s extraordinary that Atletico is in a semi-final again, the fourth in 14 years,” Simeone said. “We´re playing against a great team, but we´ll go for it.”
He said winning the title was “not pressure, it´s responsibility.”
“It´s a huge objective, something the club has never achieved,” Simeone said. “But it´s a soccer match and, ultimately, it´s the players who decide these games.”
Arsenal’s only previous final was in 2006 when it lost to Samuel Eto’o’s Barcelona.
