Former France and Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti has urged Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman to remain focused and continue his impressive form following a standout performance in the Copa del Rey.
Umtiti was at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano as Atletico Madrid defeated FC Barcelona 4-0 in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final clash. Lookman was among the goalscorers, alongside Julian Alvarez and Antoine Griezmann, in a dominant display.
After the match, Griezmann handed Lookman’s jersey to Umtiti, who was on commentary duty for DAZN. The Nigerian international was widely praised for his performance, which included his first goals in front of Atletico’s home supporters.
The 2018 FIFA World Cup winner commended Lookman’s decision-making and timing, encouraging him to maintain his momentum. “Keep going like this, you have to keep going,” Umtiti said, highlighting the intelligence and quality of teammates such as Griezmann and Alvarez and urging Lookman to continue building strong on-field chemistry.
Lookman, recently crowned the 2024 CAF Player of the Year, credited his teammates’ awareness and understanding for his smooth adaptation. “I think all the players are really good at that, so they kind of know where everyone else is on the field,” he said.
The forward has now registered two goals and two assists in three appearances across all competitions for Diego Simeone’s side, underlining his growing influence at the club.
