Ademola Lookman believes Atalanta showed they belong on the same stage as Real Madrid, despite falling to a narrow 3-2 defeat in Tuesday’s Champions League clash.
The Nigeria international was in fine form throughout, capping his performance with a goal that pulled Atalanta back into contention after Real Madrid had raced into a commanding lead through Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Jude Bellingham.
Softfootball can confirm that his side even came agonisingly close to snatching a point, with a late chance flashing over the crossbar in stoppage time.
Speaking after being named Man of the Match, Lookman reflected on a performance he felt showcased real growth for his team. He said:
Tough game, they took their chances when they had them. We knew what type of game it would be, we were unlucky, but we have our heads held high.
He continued, pointing to the bigger picture beyond the result itself:
We are disappointed with the result because we felt we could have done more, but there is also pride. We showed that we can compete against a team full of champions.
Lookman closed by highlighting the lessons his side can take forward from the performance, adding:
We created chances, there are a lot of positives to take from the performance, but also a lot of things we can learn.
