Diego Simeone says he has “a lot of faith” in Ademola Lookman and believes the Nigeria forward can return to his best for Atletico Madrid.
Lookman has found it difficult to reproduce the form that made such an impression after he joined the Spanish club last season, while his opportunities have also decreased in recent weeks.
The 28-year-old played only 14 minutes of Atletico Madrid’s 2-0 win against Levante last Saturday.
Simeone was speaking before Atletico Madrid’s UEFA Champions League meeting with Bayern Munich, and urged Lookman to be patient, continue working and keep faith in his ability.
The manager said periods of difficulty were a normal part of football and warned the forward against allowing his current situation to affect him.
“I have a lot of faith in him. I don’t want him to get frustrated because he’s not going through his best moment, because it’s part of life, part of the game, part of football,” Simeone told reporters.
“This is work, this is believing in what you do.”
Lookman’s domestic form has been less consistent, but he has still offered evidence of his quality in Europe this season.
He has scored one goal and provided one assist in three Champions League appearances for Atletico Madrid.
Across all competitions, Lookman has made 14 appearances for the LaLiga side, scoring two goals and registering one assist.
Simeone’s comments come as Atletico Madrid prepare for the challenge of facing Bayern Munich, with Lookman hoping for an opportunity to make a greater impact after his limited involvement against Levante.
The Nigerian forward had been an important attacking presence for Atletico Madrid following his arrival last season, but has struggled to maintain that influence during the current campaign.
Simeone’s message was that Lookman should respond to the setback through continued effort rather than frustration, while trusting the work he is doing to recover his strongest form.