The match: 3-0
In almost 117 years of existence (it was founded in October 1907), Atalanta Bergamo had so far won only one trophy, an Italian Cup, in 1963. Beaten for the fifth time in the final of this competition last week (by Juventus Turin, 0-1), the “Dea” finally added a second and a first continental, the Europa League, which its supporters will never forget. Especially since it is done in the manner and not against just anyone.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s men in fact swept away Bayer Leverkusen (3-0) in the final on Wednesday in Dublin, crowned German champion and so far undefeated in all competitions this season, during 51 matches (42 wins, 9 draws), and who can still hope to achieve a double, the Cup final taking place on Saturday at 8 p.m. against Kaiserslautern, D2). And this, thanks to a resounding hat-trick from Ademola Lookman (see below).
Certainly, the Germans had one or two timid skirmishes in the first period, through Alex Grimaldo (missed lob, 35th) and Granit Xhaka (long shot wide, 45th+1). But it was the Bergamasques, both clearly more aggressive and much more inspired, who had already largely dominated in all sectors. Thus, they logically led 2-0 at the break.
So Xabi Alonso, Bayer’s Spanish coach, tried to react by replacing right back Josip Stanisic with striker Victor Boniface at the break. But like his later changes (entries of Andrich and Hlozek in place of Palacios and Grimaldo, 69th), this had no effect. Blunt and for once without ideas, the Germans completely collapsed by conceding a third goal (75th).
The 3-4-3 of Gian Piero Gasperini (66), a coach with such an attractive game and finally rewarded with a deserved trophy after eight seasons at the head of the Dea, has therefore outclassed that of Xabi Alonso. To the great joy of the Bergamo supporters, in total ecstasy at the moment of seeing their beloved team lift the trophy.
The player: Lookman, a very prominent gentleman
On the left of Atalanta’s 3-4-3, the Nigerian international striker produced an exceptional performance in this final, with a perfect hat trick. Well served by Teun Koopmeiners, Ademola Lookman (26 years old, 21 caps, 6 goals) first scored with a powerful left-footed shot from close range (12th). Then after a nice delivery towards Gianluca Scamacca (19th), he scored a splendid second goal, with a perfect curling shot from the inside of the right foot, his favorite, from 20 meters after a delightful little bridge inflicted on Xhaka (26th ). But it was again with his “bad foot”, the left, that he scored the best, a powerful strike into the top corner after an outside hook (75th). An authentic recital.
6
Ademola Lookman scored the sixth hat-trick in the final of a major European competition, the first since that of Jupp Heynckes for Borussia Mönchengladbach in the C3 final in 1975 (0-0, 5-1 against Twente). OPTA
