3 months ago
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Super Eagles star, Ademola Lookman, will be up in arms against some of the world’s best players when his Atalanta clashes against Real Madrid, today in a game that decides Europe’s best team for the 2023/24 season. It is the UEFA Super Cup, which will be held at the Polish National Stadium, in Warsaw, Poland.
On paper, Real Madrid, which keeps adding the world’s best stars to their armoury, with the latest being France’s Kylian Mbappe, and Endrick from Brazil, are the favourites to add the Super Cup to their Champions League trophy. But Atalanta proved last season that any club that takes them for granted will live to regret that by the manner they dismissed Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen on their way to winning the UEFA Europa League, last season.
With Lookman as their artillery, coupled with a stout defence, Atalanta have been able to confound some of the biggest teams in the game, but beating Real Madrid will trump everything they have achieved so far in their history.
Pundits have always pointed at defense as Real Madrid’s Achilles heel, but considering their wealth of attacking talent, their defensive discipline often gets overlooked.
When they took their 2023/24 UEFA Champions League quarterfinal against Manchester City to a penalty shootout, Madrid had their defensive capabilities tested to the full. City’s approach forced them deeper as the second leg went on and the Spanish side ended the match with a possession share of 33 per cent.
In the 2023/24 Europa League final, Atalanta’s aggressive defensive approach restricted Bayer Leverkusen’s options to build play from the back. Crucially, Gian Piero Gasperini’s side prevented Leverkusen utilising the central midfield pairing of Granit Xhaka and Exequiel Palacios, who are key to connecting their defence and attack.
Yet, many believe that Atalanta is there for the taking, especially with the expected absence of six key players Atalanta, including key midfielder, Teun Koopmeiners.
As reported by AS, Koopmeiners wants to leave the club for Juventus and has refused to train with the team.
Lookman, said his side are ready for whatever Real Madrid brings to the table today. He was the hero of Atalanta’s Europa League triumph last season, with his hat-trick against Bayer Leverkusen winning the title for the Italians. He has promised to repeat that feat today against the revered Real Madrid.
Lookman told Tribal Football that he has confidence in his side’s ability to contain whatever the blistering Madrid attack might offer.
He said: “Wonderful, these are the games you want to play since you were a child. Finally, the moment has come: we won the Europa League, and we will now play for another trophy. We can’t wait. We are preparing with obsessive attention.
“So yes, we will be ready! We don’t need great motivation; we will face a top team, and it’s an appointment with history. They are the greatest football team in the world, and it will be an exciting chapter and opportunity for everyone,” the Super Eagles star said.
The match will kick off by 8.00 p.m. Nigerian time.
English (US) ·