a hat-trick from Ademola Lookman gives Atalanta Bergamo the coronation and deprives Bayer Leverkusen of a flawless season

The German club, big favorite for the final, was overwhelmed on Wednesday by the Italian waves.

The Marseille supporters are not surprised but they are perhaps the only ones. Atalanta Bergamo won the first European trophy in its history, the Europa League, at the expense of Bayer Leverkusen (3-0), Wednesday May 22 at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin (Ireland). The Italians, who beat OM in the semi-finals, defied the odds against the invincible Germans, who had not lost any of their 51 matches played this season, in all competitions. A fabulous feat.

Prevented, Xabi Alonso’s players showed almost nothing of the face which has seduced the whole of Europe since August 2023. Anesthetized by the Italian pressure, embodied by the Brazilian Ederson, a leech in the middle of the field, Bayer was only really threatening once and the very offensive full-back Alejandro Grimaldo shot into the gloves of goalkeeper Juan Musso (35th). The Spaniard’s counterpart on the right side, Jeremie Frimpong, got himself another situation before the hour mark but he did not get his attempt on target. Too few.

If we were expecting a Nigerian striker to break the deadlock, it was Victor Boniface rather than Ademola Lookman. But the first, on fire at the start of the season, started the match on the bench, from where he saw his compatriot score three goals. Lookman first jumped in front of Exequiel Palacios on a cross from the right from Davide Zappacosta (12th), before sneaking into the axis of the defense and unleashing a sudden shot to double the lead (26th).

As Leverkusen pushed harder, the 26-year-old Super Eagle completed Atalanta’s triumph with a third goal, no worse than the first two. Already tormentor of Marseille and scorer in the return match, the former Leicester striker printed his name at the top of the poster in capital letters. As a symbol of his activity, he still had the ball at his feet when the referee blew the final whistle.

The Bergamasques are emerging from the shadow of their two neighbors in Milan. This is their first trophy since an Italian Cup won in 1963. The credit largely goes to coach Gian Piero Gasperini who concludes in apotheosis, at 66, his eighth season on the Atalanta bench.

If Bayern Leverkusen will not be the first team in the history of football to end a season without the slightest defeat, they still have one match to highlight an exercise that has already entered the annals, whatever happens. The Bundesliga winners play the German Cup final against second division side Kaiserslautern on Saturday.