Atalanta triumphs in Europa League Final
On Wednesday, May 22, 2024, the Aviva Stadium in Dublin hosted the Europa League final between Bayer Leverkusen and Atalanta Bergamo. In this unprecedented final, Atalanta dominated Bayer Leverkusen with a decisive 3-0 victory, led by Ademola Lookman.
From the outset, Atalanta was fully engaged, unlike their German counterparts. Lookman opened the scoring in the 12th minute, capitalizing on a defensive lapse by Palacios to put Atalanta ahead.
Leverkusen’s attempts to counter were thwarted by Atalanta’s solid defense. Lookman doubled the lead in the 26th minute with a solo effort, skillfully maneuvering past Xhaka before striking a powerful shot into the bottom corner. At halftime, the score stood at 2-0 in favor of the Italian side.
In the second half, Leverkusen’s coach Xabi Alonso made significant substitutions, including bringing on Victor Boniface to boost the attack, but these changes failed to turn the tide.
Key players like Florian Wirtz, Granit Xhaka, and Alejandro Grimaldo were uncharacteristically off their game.
Lookman sealed Atalanta’s victory with a third goal in the 75th minute, finishing a counterattack initiated by Scamacca.
This hat-trick marked Lookman’s fifth goal in eleven Europa League matches this season and his fifteenth in forty-three appearances across all competitions.
He also became the first African player to score a hat-trick in the final of a major European competition.
Atalanta’s triumph secured their first European trophy, while Leverkusen will have to wait for another chance at continental glory.
Coach Gian Piero Gasperini outmaneuvered his younger counterpart, Xabi Alonso, showcasing his experience.
Atalanta’s impressive European campaign included notable victories over Liverpool in the quarterfinals and Marseille in the semifinals.
Despite Leverkusen’s resilience throughout the tournament, they fell short in the final. The team now shifts focus to the German Cup final against Kaiserslautern.
