Ademola Lookman hat-trick leads Atalanta to 3-0 Europa League final win over Bayer Leverkusen

Ademola Lookman delivered a remarkable hat-trick as Atalanta triumphed over Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 in the Europa League final on Wednesday. This victory marked only the second major trophy in Atalanta’s 117-year history and ended the German champions’ impressive unbeaten streak.

Lookman, who struggled to find success in the English Premier League with Everton, Fulham, and Leicester City before rejuvenating his career under Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini, scored twice in the first 26 minutes and secured the win 15 minutes before full-time.

This win also marked a significant achievement for Gasperini, ending his two-decade-long quest for major silverware. His team outplayed Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen, who had been dubbed ‘Neverlusen’ after going 51 games without a loss.

Atalanta dominated the match, just as they had against Premier League giants Liverpool and three-time finalists Olympique de Marseille in the earlier rounds. They marked their first European final with a resounding victory.

“We needed to be attacking, it was not enough just to defend. We know these teams are great at attacking. Everyone was extraordinary,” Gasperini told Sky Sports Italia. “Winning the Europa League is an extraordinary achievement.”

Leverkusen started the game uncertainly, with uncharacteristically sloppy play giving Gianluca Scamacca an early chance, although he couldn’t capitalize on it. Moments later, Davide Zappacosta found too much space on the right, and Lookman beat Exequiel Palacios to score the opener.

Lookman was celebrated by his teammates and fans, and just 14 minutes later, he capitalized on another Leverkusen error to curl a beautiful right-footed shot into the bottom-right corner from just outside the box.

The Germans showed brief flashes of their attacking prowess, but Atalanta remained composed and unfazed, even in the absence of injured captain Marten de Roon. Leverkusen brought on top scorer Victor Boniface at halftime, but it made little difference as the game progressed.

Leverkusen, who had scored in all but one of their previous 51 games and frequently scored late goals, found no way past the resolute Atalanta defense.

“The normality is not to get defeated in the 52nd game. Normally it happens much earlier in the season. It’s been quite exceptional what we have achieved and we have to be really proud,” Alonso said in a news conference. “It’s very demanding to play against Atalanta… It happens, it’s football, today wasn’t our day. They were better.”

Lookman completed his hat-trick with a stunning left-footed strike into the top corner, becoming the sixth player to score three goals in a major European final, the first since Jupp Heynckes for Borussia Moenchengladbach in the 1975 UEFA Cup.

When the final whistle blew, Lookman was hoisted into the air by his teammates, celebrating Atalanta’s first major trophy since their 1963 Italian Cup triumph.

“It’s one of the best nights of my life,” Lookman, cradling the match ball as he collected his winners’ medal, told TNT Sports. “It was an amazing performance from the team. We did it… We made history tonight.”