Update Historic series breaks Ex-Leipziger dismantles Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League final
22.05.2024, 22:51
From the dream of the triple: The German champions Bayer Leverkusen lose the first game of the season in the final of the Europa League. Xabi Alonso’s team never found its way into the game against Atalanta Bergamo, and former Leipzig player Ademola Lookman scored all three goals in the Italians’ 3-0 win.
After the crushing defeat, Xabi Alonso consoled his players with a stone-faced expression, while next door the heroes of Atalanta Bergamo threw the triple goalscorer Ademola Lookman into the air: The high-flyers from Bayer Leverkusen were mercilessly torn from all treble dreams shortly before the big goal. In the 0:3 (0:2) final of the Europa League, the ice-cold ex-Leipzig lookman (12th/26th/75th) destroyed all hopes and caused the first defeat of the season for coach Alonso’s team, which had almost no chance.
“We have to be honest: today it was deserved, we had imagined much more. We have to congratulate Atalanta. If you get three goals and don’t score any, that’s deserved,” said national player Robert Andrich on RTL. The Bayer team found consolation in the 12,000 fans who traveled with them, who immediately got their team in the mood for the DFB Cup final on Saturday.
Not only did the factory club miss out on their first international trophy since the UEFA Cup triumph in 1988, their successful run in Dublin also ended after 51 games without defeat. Four days after handing over the championship trophy, Bayer wanted to take the penultimate step towards sporting immortality, but due to a catastrophic first half, only the double is waiting as a “consolation prize” in the cup final on Saturday against second division team 1. FC Kaiserslautern.
Atalanta with coach Gian Piero Gasperini had recently lost in the Italian Cup final against Juventus Turin, but now played cheekily and satisfied the longing for the first title in 61 years at the final premiere in the European Cup. Match winner Lookman became the first player to score three goals in a European Cup final for Borussia Mönchengladbach since Jupp Heynckes in 1975. Eintracht Frankfurt was the last Bundesliga club to win the Europa League in 2022.
Bayer without a real striker, Lookman ice cold
Many of the 12,000 or so Bayer fans who traveled to Shelbourne Park were in the mood for the first of two finals this week, and 8,000 fans were excited at a large public viewing at home. As a lucky charm, the championship trophy was even present in the Irish capital, as sports director Simon Rolfes revealed.
The exceptional talent Florian Wirtz was to take over on the field, making his first start since early May following a thigh problem. Goalkeeper Matej Kovar was also preferred over regular goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky, as he had been throughout the entire European Cup season.
As in the first leg of the semi-final in Rome, Leverkusen started without a real striker, but was initially challenged defensively. After a few wobbles in the early stages, Lookman evaded his guard Exequiel Palacios and punished Bayer from the backcourt. It was also the Nigerian who danced past half the defense and flicked the ball into the corner.
Pep Guardiola knew everything
Leverkusen had one of the weakest halves of the season, the Werkself were always at least one step too late. Wirtz’s offense remained pale, with only Alejandro Grimaldo (35th) and Granit Xhaka (45th) scoring goals. After the first half, everyone knew why Manchester City’s star coach Pep Guardiola once said: “Playing against Atalanta is like going to the dentist.”
The Italians showed why they had already eliminated Liverpool FC on the way to the final. Alonso responded and brought on Victor Boniface for the second half. Bayer increased the pressure on the Italians a little, but there were no clear chances for the team, which was the first to end a Bundesliga season unbeaten last weekend.
Leverkusen had already failed against Bergamo in their first meeting in the round of 16 in 2022. Bayer’s efforts came to nothing, instead Lookman refined his performance with his left foot. This time there was no comeback, as Alonso’s team had done so often this season.
2024-05-22 20:51:00
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