Diego Simeone Praises Lookman After Atletico’s Controversial Win Over Real Madrid

• Diego Simeone praised his squad, including Ademola Lookman, following Atletico’s controversial 2-1 victory over Real Madrid
• Real Madrid published a statement criticising referee Ortiz Arias after Dean Huijsen was sent off during the match
• Lookman is set to join the Super Eagles immediately after the derby win for Nigeria's 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign

Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone has singled out Ademola Lookman for praise after his side beat city rivals Real Madrid 2-1 in a fiercely disputed derby at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano.

Alejandro Grimaldo from the penalty spot and new signing Jonathan David scored for Atletico, while Antonio Rudiger pulled one back for Madrid.

The game was overshadowed by a series of contentious officiating decisions, with Real Madrid later publishing an official statement criticising centre referee Ortiz Arias and holding him responsible for the defeat.

The controversy ran in both directions. Madrid had defender Dean Huijsen dismissed for a professional foul as the last man early in the second half, yet Atletico escaped punishment despite what many observers described as reckless challenges from Kang-In Lee and Cristian Romero, either of which could have resulted in a red card, which Jose Mourinho questioned.

Simeone praises Atletico's attack

Despite the off-field noise, Simeone focused on the collective performance when speaking to reporters after the final whistle. He was particularly keen to acknowledge the contribution of his substitutes, including Lookman, who entered the match after Atletico had already established a 2-0 lead.

"I feel proud. We'd discussed teamwork. It wasn't just the 10 who started; we needed Koke's talent, a bit more freshness from Julián, and for Lookman to make a better impact than he did," Simeone said via Into the Calderon.

"But I have no doubt that the team's collective effort was a result of the sort of match we wanted to play."

The Argentine coach's comments suggest he expects more from the Nigerian winger in future appearances, even while recognising his role within a squad performance that secured a hard-fought result against one of Spain's most powerful clubs.

Following the victory, Lookman will travel immediately to join the Super Eagles squad as Nigeria prepares for their upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches.

Simeone sent message to Lookman

Legit.ng previously reported that Diego Simeone sent a message to Ademola Lookman during his pre-match conference ahead of the Madrid derby.

The manager praised Lookman’s unique profile in the Atletico Madrid attack, and backed him to deliver despite a slow start this season.