Ademola Lookman scored three stunning goals to help Atalanta defeat Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 in the 2023/24 Europa League final.
Lookman single-handedly ended Atalanta’s 61-year wait for silverware and Bayer Leverkusen’s historic 51-match unbeaten run in one fell swoop, scoring a hat-trick Wednesday in Dublin to win the Italian side the Europa League.
Leverkusen have made a habit of erasing multi-goal deficits this season, and found themselves in a familiar hole after conceding twice to Lookman in first half. But the Nigerian’s third in the 75th minute – a left-footed rocket into the far corner – made sure there was no miraculous comeback this time around.
The only other title Atalanta have won is the 1963 Italian Cup.
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Lookman became the first player to score a hat-trick in a European final for 49 years to secure Atalanta’s first ever continental trophy.
The side from Bergamo have long lived in the shadow of nearby giants AC and Inter Milan.
However, they have enjoyed a golden era under Gian Piero Gasperini, reaching the Champions League on four occasions, and now have silverware to show for it.
Leverkusen have made a habit of late fightbacks in their remarkable run to winning a first ever Bundesliga title without tasting defeat.
But this time they failed to dig themselves out of a hole created by a slow start.
Atalanta’s more purposeful play in the opening stages was rewarded after just 12 minutes.
Davide Zappacosta got to the by-line and Lookman caught Exequiel Palacios napping to fire into the top corner at the back post.
The Nigerian has at times endured a nomadic career, bouncing around the lower reaches of the Premier League on loan spells at Fulham and Leicester after being discarded by RB Leipzig.
Lookman scores hat-trick for Atalanta to win Europa league cup
The 26-year-old’s second goal was fit to win any final as he nutmegged Granit Xhaka before curling a powerful shot into the far corner.
For the fourth time in seven Europa League knockout matches, Xabi Alonso’s men found themselves 2-0 down.
Leverkusen’s flying full-backs have been at the heart of their stunning season and should have got them back in the game either side of half-time.
Alex Grimaldo fired tamely into the arms of Juan Musso before Jeremie Frimpong blazed over with the goal gaping.
Leverkusen were also denied a lifeline when Gianluca Scamacca was lucky to escape with a yellow card for wild challenge on Florian Wirtz.
Alonso has enjoyed a rapid rise to become one of Europe’s hottest coaching properties.
The Spaniard has rejected the advances of former clubs Liverpool and Bayern Munich to remain at the BayArena next season.
However, Alonso’s decision to start without a recognised striker did not work and he threw on Victor Boniface at half-time to give his side a focal point up front.
The damage, though, was already done as the German champions looked a side drained by their record run across three competitions.
Atalanta were happy to soak up the Leverkusen pressure after the break and hit on the counter-attack.
The final blow was another fabulous finish from Lookman as he skipped past Edmond Tapsoba and this time blasted into the top corner on his weaker left foot.
Atalanta had lost all three of their previous finals under Gasperini, most recently in last week’s Coppa Italia defeat to Juventus.
But this time they were not to be denied their shot at history as they were roared across the finishing line by the thousands clad in blue and black that had made the trip from northern Italy to the Irish capital.
In doing so they became the first Italian side to win the competition since Parma lifted the UEFA Cup in 1999.
At the age of 66 years and 117 days, Gian Piero Gasperini has become the oldest coach to win a final of a major European competition on his debut.
He has also become the second Italian coach to win the Europa League, joining Maurizio Sarri who did so with Chelsea in 2019.
Some immediate post-match reaction from the hat-trick hero.
“One of the best nights of my life,” he told TNT Sports. “Amazing performance from the team. We did it.
“I’ve not got much more to say. Fantastic.”
Victor Moses is the only Nigerian to have won the Europa League twice, with Chelsea in 2013 and 2019. John Mikel Obi with Chelsea in 2013 and, most recently, Samuel Chukwueze with Villareal in 2021.
