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Atalanta's Lookman Stars as Bayer Leverkusen's Unbeaten Streak Ends in Europa League Final Defeat
In a stunning upset, Atalanta winger Ademola Lookman led his team to victory with a hat trick, crushing Bayer Leverkusen's hopes of completing a historic unbeaten season with a treble of titles. Atalanta's 3-0 win in the Europa League final halted Leverkusen's record-breaking 51-game unbeaten streak in Europe, delivering a blow to the German champions.
Lookman, the Nigerian-born player, capitalized on Leverkusen's mistakes, scoring twice within the first 26 minutes of the match. His clinical performance sealed Atalanta's triumph with a third goal in the 75th minute. Despite Leverkusen's status as favorites, they struggled to contain Atalanta's relentless attacks.
While Atalanta's success would typically be celebrated as a heartwarming underdog story, they played the role of spoilers, dashing Leverkusen's dreams of European glory. Now, Leverkusen must regroup for the German Cup final against Kaiserslautern, where they are expected to dominate as heavy favorites.
As the final minutes ticked away, Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso could only watch in frustration, while Atalanta's veteran coach Gian Piero Gasperini danced with joy on the sidelines. Alonso's decision to start Exequiel Palacios backfired, as the midfielder was at fault for Lookman's opening goal, setting the tone for Atalanta's dominance.
Despite Leverkusen's resilience in previous Europa League matches, they couldn't muster their trademark late-game heroics this time. Atalanta's victory marked the end of Leverkusen's remarkable unbeaten run, leaving them to reflect on what might have been.
Even prior to Atalanta's goals, the Bergamo fans, though outnumbered approximately 12,000 to 9,000 by Leverkusen supporters in the 48,000-strong crowd, largely dominated the atmosphere on an overcast and breezy evening in the Irish capital.
The players showcased their physical prowess right from the start, pressuring Leverkusen and disrupting their typically graceful style with relentless marking.
Leverkusen repeatedly conceded possession to Atalanta in their own half and struggled to create opportunities. Álex Grimaldo's attempted lob found its way weakly into the arms of goalkeeper Juan Musso, who had ventured off his line, while Jeremie Frimpong's volley soared high over the goal, squandering any scoring chances that arose.
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