Atalanta Bergamo was the better team for over 90 minutes in Dublin on Wednesday evening (May 22nd, 2024) and deservedly won the Europa League title after a 3-0 win against Leverkusen.
After 51 consecutive unbeaten competitive matches, Leverkusen lost another game – and at the worst possible time. After a desolate first half and a double strike from Ademola Lookman (12th minute and 26th), Leverkusen – unlike so often – did not come back and had to bury its triple dream.
Armin Lehmann /Luise Kropff, Sportschau, 22.05.2024 22:56
Despite an improvement in performance in the second half, the Werkself were unable to turn the game around with late goals. Lookman added another impressive goal in the closing stages (75th minute) and completed the debacle.
Leverkusen coach Alonso: Bergamo “better in everything”
“It is extremely bitter, but we have to be honest and congratulate Atalanta because they definitely deserved it more than we did today,” said Robert Andrich after the match on “RTL”.
“We have to accept that Atalanta Bergamo was better today,” said coach Xabi Alonso. “We couldn’t play our game and had problems after Atalanta’s first goal. We didn’t find any solutions,” Alonso summed up. Simon Rolfes saw it similarly: “One can only say that Atalanta rightly won,” said Leverkusen’s sports director. “They were better in the game from the first second today and managed to carry through their game.”
The disappointment was also “huge” for Leverkusen’s Granit “But from Friday onwards the focus will be on the next final.”
The champions from Leverkusen still have a chance of winning the double; in the DFB Cup final on Saturday, Bayer 04 will face 1. FC Kaiserslautern.
Wirtz back in the starting line-up – but pale
For the first time since the semi-final first leg at AS Roma, the recently injured national player Florian Wirtz was in the starting line-up. As in the 2-0 win in Rome, the Werkself started without a real striker. Exequiel Palacios replaced Andrich in central midfield.
Leverkusen appeared without the necessary physical tension from the start and appeared extremely nervous. Xabi Alosno’s team found it extremely difficult to cope with the high start of the Lombards. Atalanta forced numerous simple ball losses in Leverkusen’s build-up game and got their first goal through Gianluca Scamacca (8th).
The Rhinelanders were unable to escape the pressure phase and so Atalanta deservedly took an early lead. After a flat cross from Davide Zappacosta on the right wing, the distribution in the Leverkusen penalty area was completely wrong – at the far post, Palacios overlooked the onrushing ex-Leipzig player Lookman, who left keeper Matej Kovar no chance with his hard shot.
Lookman with the double strike for Atalanta
Even after the goal, the northern Italians continued to dominate the game and stole one ball after another in midfield. Bergamo took advantage of one of these ball losses, this time by Amine Adli, to make it 2-0. Again it was Lookman who found the gap between three opponents and curled the ball into the far corner from 18 meters in a spectacular fashion.
Florian Wirtz and Co. were unable to free themselves from the tight clutches of “La Dea” until the half-time whistle. Alejandro Grimaldo scored the only shot in the first half (35′). Atalanta appeared much more determined, more physically present and almost increased the lead to 3-0 shortly before half-time. Kovar just saved from a strong shot from Charles De Ketelaere (43′).
Leverkusen remained harmless in the second half
In the second half, the first offensive action also belonged to the fifth-placed team in Serie A. Piero Hincapie saved at the last second from De Ketelaere, who was ready to score (49th minute). Leverkusen showed a different face, but did not manage to create any dangerous shots. In addition to Wirtz, Victor Boniface, who came on as a substitute in the second half, also remained pale.
With an individual action after a very simple counterattack, Lookman made the decision 15 minutes before the end. Once again, the Leverkusen backline was duped by the outstanding 26-year-old. Leverkusen’s comeback, which has been celebrated so often, failed to reach the final of the Europa League. Adam Hlozek only had Leverkusen’s best chance in stoppage time.
“We made history. We stayed disciplined, had our moments and played fantastically,” said Bergamo’s hat-trick scorer Lookman on “CBS”. Atalanta won its first international title in its first European final.
Marc Eschweiler, Sportschau, May 22, 2024 11:08 p.m
