Ademola Lookman played his part as Atlético Madrid survived a fierce fightback from FC Barcelona to seal a place in the Copa del Rey final with a 4-3 aggregate victory.
Heading into the second leg with a commanding 4-0 advantage from the first meeting, Diego Simeone’s men were pushed to the limit in Barcelona. The hosts came out aggressively and dominated large spells of the contest, scoring three times to ignite hopes of an extraordinary turnaround.
Despite the pressure, Lookman remained a lively outlet for Atleti on the counterattack. The Nigerian forward had a decent opportunity during the first half but dragged his effort wide as the visitors looked to relieve the mounting tension.
Barcelona reduced the deficit with two goals from Marc Bernal and a Raphinha penalty, throwing everything forward in the closing stages. However, Atlético stood firm under intense late pressure to protect their aggregate lead and crush the holders’ hopes of defending their crown.
Lookman and his teammates will now turn their attention to the final, where they will face the winner of the other semi-final clash between Real Sociedad and Athletic Club.