Can Ademola Lookman Spark Atlético Madrid’s La Liga Title Hopes?
The start of the La Liga season has been all about Barcelona, with Hansi Flick’s team dominating in all seven fixtures. A flawless beginning to the campaign has put the Blaugrana five points clear at the top of the division, but Atlético Madrid and Ademola Lookman are not too far behind them.
A 3-0 loss to Athletic Club in early September remains the only defeat for Diego Simeone’s side, and a 2-1 victory against rivals Real Madrid in the derby ensured they remained five points behind Barça before the start of the international break.
Lookman and company will have title aspirations, and are seemingly well-positioned to challenge the current La Liga champions. But for that to become a reality, they need their attacking stars, including Lookman, to rise to the occasion.
Lookman’s form is critical to Atlético’s title hopes
While Barcelona have flown out of the gates, scoring 31 times in just seven games, Atlético have been more measured. The team has been its typical stubborn self in defence, averaging one goal conceded per game so far, but equally effective going forward.
Alex Baena and Jonathan David lead the club’s goalscoring charts in La Liga, but the team cannot rely on a select few players if they are to keep pace with the Catalan juggernaut. Lookman’s performances, therefore, will be key.
So far, the Nigerian international has scored just once in seven games this season, a goal which came in the 3-1 victory against Sevilla. It has arguably been a continuation of his La Liga form in 2025/26, where he scored just four times in 12 league matches.
There is scope to improve, and he must if he and Atleti want to win the title. Fans thinking about using a bet9ja promotion code to back the club as an underdog might be put off by their current odds of 50/1, which are far longer than those of both Real Madrid and Barcelona. Should Simeone’s squad maintain form, though, then those odds of success will shorten.
Atleti must take advantage of Barcelona’s difficult October
A La Liga team looking to cement itself as a title contender will have no better opportunity to do so than when club football resumes in October. The season might have several months to go, but Barcelona’s schedule is particularly difficult that month, which could potentially open the door for rivals like Atlético to close the gap and announce their intentions.
After playing Getafe and Galatasaray at the start of the month, Flick’s team then play Real Betis, Paris Saint-Germain, and Real Madrid in the space of eight days. Rotation will be crucial in each of those fixtures, which could potentially result in dropped points.
The Rojiblancos, by comparison, have a kinder October ahead, playing Alavés, Espanyol, and Deportivo La Coruña in La Liga, while navigating Champions League ties against Manchester United and Stuttgart. Each of those fixtures is winnable, and should no points be dropped in domestic fixtures, it could set Atlético up to make a statement when they play Barcelona on 8th November.
