Atletico Madrid manager, Diego Simeone, has shed light on his decision to substitute Ademola Lookman during their Copa del Rey final defeat to Real Sociedad on Saturday.
Lookman was handed a starting role and made a key impact, scoring shortly after the hour mark to bring Atletico level in a tightly contested encounter.
Despite his contribution, the Nigerian forward was later taken off in the second half, a pattern that has followed several of his appearances since joining the club in January.
The final eventually ended 2-2 after regulation and extra time, with Sociedad prevailing 4-3 in the penalty shootout to lift the trophy.
Explaining the tactical switch, Simeone said (via futbolfantasy.com), “Because I understood that with Sorloth playing there as a number nine, we could create more scoring opportunities, and that Julián could fulfill Lookman’s role. Later, we moved Baena further to the left. We also have very important players in that position. And, well, that’s how I understood the substitution.”
Lookman’s strike in the final took his tally in the competition to three goals, while he has netted seven times across all competitions this season.
The defeat means Atletico are still chasing their first Copa del Rey triumph since their victory over Real Madrid in the 2013 final at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
For Sociedad, the win marks their fourth Copa del Rey title and their first since 2020.
Attention now turns to the UEFA Champions League, where Atletico will face Arsenal in the semi-finals.
The Gunners previously defeated Simeone’s side 4-0 when both teams met during the group stage at the Emirates.
