Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman isn’t afraid of the upcoming UEFA Super Cup encounter against record-time European champions Real Madrid. Au contraire, the Nigerian star admitted he’s ‘excited‘ to play against the most successful European club in Wednesday night’s title showpiece.
“I think tomorrow night is a different occasion. Playing in the Super Cup is a different night. So, I’m excited, happy to be involved, and looking forward to it,” last year’s Atalanta player of the season told UEFA’s official website.
“It’s not just me, but I think the whole squad is excited about the occasion. We deserve to be here through our hard work and perseverance. Tomorrow night is another chance to show that.“
Lookman earned Atalanta a chance to meet Real Madrid in their inaugural UEFA Super Cup appearance. His epic hat-trick propelled Gian Piero Gasperini’s charges to a stunning 3-0 win against Bayer Leverkusen in last season’s Europa League final.
The 26-year-old delivered a memorable performance in the Dublin final to inspire Atalanta to their first European silverware. It was also the club’s only second major honor after lifting the Coppa Italia trophy 1962/63, rewriting the history of the Bergamo outfit.
Gasperini will probably need his talismanic forward at the top of his game to upset the apple cart in Warsaw. Without marquee summer arrival Nicolo Zaniolo and midfield stalwart Teun Koopmeiners, Atalanta head into this mouth-watering fixture as pre-match outsiders.
However, no one can dare to write Atalanta off before the kick-off, even though they’ll need to deal with Carlo Ancelotti’s formidable frontline, containing the likes of Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham, and Kylian Mbappe.
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