Ademola Lookman expressed his delight after Atalanta’s hard-fought 2-0 victory over Stuttgart in their UEFA Champions League fixture at the Mercedes Benz Arena on Wednesday. The 27-year-old forward continued his excellent form, scoring his eighth goal of the season and helping Atalanta climb to ninth place in the new Champions League standings.
Lookman broke the deadlock in the 51st minute, assisted by Charles De Ketelaere, before Nicolo Zaniolo sealed the win with a goal two minutes from full time. The result extended Atalanta’s unbeaten run to nine matches, with seven wins and two draws.
Reflecting on the match, Lookman told BILD correspondent Felix Arnold, “It was a nice evening for the team. We all put in a good performance together, especially against a strong opponent. It was a tough game against VfB Stuttgart, just as we expected.”
Lookman’s impressive performance is a major boost for his bid for the 2024 CAF Men’s Player of the Year award. He had already been named one of the 14 best players in the world at the recent Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris.
Since joining Atalanta from RB Leipzig in 2022 for €9.35 million, Lookman has been in exceptional form, with 40 goals and 23 assists in 91 competitive appearances. His performances have drawn interest from top European clubs, with Real Madrid reportedly among those tracking the in-form Nigerian forward, who is valued at €60 million by Transfermarkt.
