Soccer
Ademola Lookman of Atletico Madrid celebrates. Copyright: Imago
Super Eagles and Atletico Madrid forward Ademola Lookman has revealed the differences between the German Bundesliga and the Italian Serie A, Soccernet.ng reports.
While the English Premier League is often regarded as the elite among Europe’s top five, Lookman found it hard to break through in England, eventually moving to RB Leipzig after a spell with Everton.
He returned to the English top-flight twice, going on loan to Fulham first, and then Leicester City later, but his big break came when he made the switch to Atalanta in 2022.
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Soccer Bundesliga or Serie A – Ademola Lookman decides which is tougher
The 28-year-old scored 55 goals and provided 23 assists in 137 games for Atalanta, winning the club’s maiden silverware by scoring a hat-trick in the 2024 UEFA Europa League final against Bayer 04 Leverkusen, a Xabi Alonso-led side that were unbeaten all season till Lookman inflicted damage.
Given that he excelled in Italy, the debate would naturally tend to favour that the Serie A has it much easier than the German league, but the 2024 CAF Player of the Year revealed it’s not a linear thing.
“Obviously, the football [in Italy] is different,” the Atletico Madrid forward told Nedum Onuoha in an interview with BBC Sports.
“In Italian football, it’s hard to score goals, it’s known for it’s defence, but in Germany, it’s a bit more open, you get a lot of chances, so it’s very different.
“It took me about a month to settle down in Italy, and it helped that I scored on my debut, and for like a run of six games on the bounce,” Lookman concluded.
Lookman isn’t the first Nigerian to opine on the style of football played in Italy. Ola Aina, who left Torino for Nottingham Forest two years ago, also said something similar.
“For me, going to Italy was a good learning curve.
“Obviously, they’re known for being defensive and housing tactical players, so I sort of improved on that side of the game and I can see that in myself now when I play.
“It was also good to get out of my comfort zone, and Italy was a place I’d always wanted to see and visit on holidays,” the former Chelsea defender said.
After four and a half years in Italy, Lookman joined Atletico Madrid in February, and managed to find the back of the net nine times in 24 appearances for Diego Simeone’s men.
Adefolahan Guerreiro
Adefolahan is a multilingual CAF-Accredited sports journalist and football writer whose work spans outlets like Soccernet Nigeria, Pure Football UK, and Royalsportz.
With a sharp eye for detail and a background in college sports, he tells the African football story with depth, flair, and global perspective.
Fluent in English, Spanish, and German, he brings a cross-cultural voice to his coverage, blending insight with accessibility for readers around the world.
His portfolio includes interviews with top Nigerian stars like Finidi George, Junior Lokosa, Sikiru Alimi, Sodiq Ismaila, and Abraham Onahi Ogbu.
A devoted Borussia Dortmund fan, Adefolahan thrives on the emotion and rhythm of the beautiful game. Away from work, he’s a sci-fi enthusiast and series lover who enjoys exploring how sport, storytelling, and culture collide.
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