Lookman Warns Atlético Not Yet in S’final Despite Win at Camp Nou

*Says return leg fixture will be ‘massive challenge’ from ‘wounded’ Barcelona 

Duro Ikhazuagbe

Despite gaining a 2-0 advantage in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter final clash with Barcelona at Camp Nou on Wednesday night, Nigerian international forward, Ademola Lookman, has warned his Atletico Madrid teammates not to take their feet off the pedal yet as the semifinal ticket is not in the bag yet.

Atlético won 2-0 at Camp Nou for the first time in 20 years to set the tone for an epic rematch in front of their fans against Barcelona on Tuesday at Wanda Metropolitano.

“It will be a massive challenge, massive match, we know. So, calm heads for sure,” Ademola Lookman reasoned after the clash.

“We got the victory, but on to the next game.

“It was a very good result, good performance by the team. We got our moments and we took them. That’s thanks to the work that everyone has been doing.”

Ademola Lookman said the timing of his team’s two goals went a great way to define the outcome of Wednesday’s all-Spanish clash.

“We scored after they had a man sent off, that was key. A brilliant free kick by Julian (Alvarez) and also the timing of our second goal in the second half,” said the forward, who said his first months at Atleti have been “great”.

But Lookman remembers with hindsight how a similar 4-0 defeat of the Catalan giants in the Copa del Rey almost turned into a nightmare for Atlético when Barcelona canceled out three of the goals and narrowly missed dragging that match into extra time or possible shootouts.

Goals in either half by Julian Alvarez and Alexander Sorloth secured the win for Atlético in the first-leg of their quarter-final tie.

Barcelona had been the better side for much of the game but a foul on Giuliano Simeone by Pau Cubarsi just before half-time proved pivotal.

The defender was initially shown a yellow card by referee Istvan Kovacs after sending Simeone flying as he broke through one-on-one, but that was changed to a red card when Kovacs was asked by the video assistant referee to review the incident on the pitchside monitor.