Lookman joins Arsenal, Barcelona, Real Madrid stars in UCL's best XI

Posted : 30 January 2025

Ademola Lookman, the Atalanta forward and reigning African Footballer of the Year, has earned a place in Whoscored.com's Champions League Team of the League Phase, a remarkable achievement considering he missed two matches. His inclusion underscores the significant impact he made in the games he did play.

Lookman's absence from two Champions League fixtures, one as an unused substitute against Young Boys in November and the other due to a knee injury sustained in training that prevented him from traveling to Barcelona, makes his selection even more impressive. Despite these absences, his performances in other matches were deemed worthy of a spot in the prestigious team.

Lookman's standout displays against formidable opponents like Arsenal, Shakhtar Donetsk, Celtic, VfB Stuttgart, Real Madrid, and Sturm Graz solidified his place in the team. His contributions in these matches were crucial to Atalanta's performance in the league phase of the competition.

The Nigerian international demonstrated his attacking prowess by scoring and assisting against Shakhtar Donetsk, mirroring this feat against Sturm Graz. He also found the net against both Stuttgart and Real Madrid, showcasing his ability to perform against top-tier competition. These goals and assists played a key role in Atalanta's Champions League campaign.

In Whoscored.com's 4-4-2 formation, Lookman, with an impressive rating of 7.74, forms a formidable attacking partnership with Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior. This pairing of two dynamic and talented forwards highlights the attacking strength of the team.

The team also features other prominent players, including Real Madrid's goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who anchors a strong back four. The midfield boasts talents like Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, PSV's Malik Tillman, Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz, and Barcelona's Raphinha. These players, alongside Lookman and Vinicius Junior, represent some of the best performers in the Champions League league phase.

Notably, only the selected midfielders and Vinicius Junior achieved higher ratings than Lookman, emphasizing the exceptional level of his performance in the competition. His statistics throughout the league phase, including an average of 3.7 shots, 2.2 key passes, and two dribbles per game, further illustrate his attacking contributions and influence on Atalanta's play.

Lookman joins Arsenal, Barcelona, Real Madrid stars in UCL's best XI

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