Atalanta won the 2023/24 Europa League, winning the first European trophy in its history, the second ever 61 years after the 1962/63 Italian Cup. Sensational achievement by the Bergamo players, who overwhelmed the hitherto unbeatable Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 in the final in Dublin thanks to a legendary Lookman who scored a hat-trick. Nothing could be done by the German coach, Xabi Alonso, who suffered his first defeat of the season after 51 games. Gian Piero Gasperini – the leader of a splendid Atalanta – wins his first career title, sublimating eight sensational years at the helm of the Dea.
These are the words of Ederson in the mixed zone after the match: “What made the difference? I think the high pressure we applied in the middle of the pitch, and then our attackers who played an extraordinary game. Lookman scored a hat-trick and that says it all, he’s a player very strong and deserved it. What did Gasperini tell us? Was he very happy like everyone else, did he deserve this victory for everything he did with the Atalanta fans?
Here is the match scoreboard:
Atalanta (3-4-2-1): Musso; Djimsiti, Hien, Kolasinac; Zappacosta (39′ st Hateboer), Ederson, Koopmeiners, Ruggeri (45’+1 st Toloi); De Ketelaere (12′ st Pasalic), Lookman; Scamacca (39′ st Touré).
Coach: Gasperini
Bayer Leverkusen (3-4-3): Kovar; Tapsobah, Tah, Hincapie; Stanisic, Xhaka, Palacios (24′ st Andrich), Grimaldo (24′ st Hlozek); Adli, Wirtz (36′ st Schick), Frimpong (36′ st Tella).
Coach: Xabi Alonso
Referee: Kovacs
Scorers: 12′, 26′, 31′ st Lookman (A)
Booked: Djimsiti (A), Wirtz (L), Scamacca (A), Zappacosta (A), Tapsobah (L), Koopmeiners (A), Andrich (L)
