Nigerian winger Ademola Lookman produced a sensational hat-trick as Atalanta ended a 61-year trophy drought by defeating Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League final at a jubilant Aviva Stadium.
The fans of both teams created an electrifying atmosphere in Dublin, with this being Atalanta’s inaugural European final and only the third for Leverkusen.
Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen side entered the match unbeaten in 51 games this season, just two wins shy of a flawless record. However, Lookman had other plans. The Everton winger opened the scoring by slotting the ball into the top corner following a precise cutback from Davide Zappacosta. His second goal was a piece of individual brilliance, nutmegging Granit Xhaka before curling a fantastic shot into the bottom corner from 20 yards out.
Lookman completed his hat-trick with another stunning goal, using a step-over to outfox Edmond Tapsoba before blasting the ball into the roof of the net. Leverkusen, renowned for their dramatic comebacks, were unable to find a way back this time.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s tactical acumen, combined with a relentless pressing game and Lookman’s extraordinary performance, earned Atalanta a second major trophy to accompany their 1963 Coppa Italia. This victory also secures their place in next season’s Champions League, a spot not yet confirmed through their Serie A standing.
Despite this defeat, Bayer Leverkusen’s season remains historic, as they became the first team to go unbeaten in a Bundesliga season. This European setback does not diminish that accomplishment, but the dream of an undefeated season across all competitions has ended. For the first time in nearly a year, they faced defeat.
Even at 2-0 down, Leverkusen’s stats provided a glimmer of hope; they had previously recovered from two-goal deficits four times this season. However, they couldn’t capitalise on their opportunities, with Alex Grimaldo’s chip being saved and Xhaka missing a crucial shot.
A late VAR check for a potential Leverkusen penalty was dismissed, and the German side barely protested, acknowledging the inevitability of their defeat.
Xabi Alonso now faces the challenge of lifting his team from this rare disappointment. They have a German Cup final against second-tier Kaiserslautern in Berlin on Saturday, aiming to complete a domestic double.