Bayer Leverkusen’s historic unbeaten run, treble hopes end with thumping in Europa League final against Atalanta
- Xabi Alonso’s side had finished their league campaign without losing and have German Cup final at weekend
- Atalanta are first Italian side to win trophy since Parma in 1999 and knocked out Liverpool en route to final
Bayer Leverkusen’s quest for a perfect season ended at the hands of Atalanta in the Europa League final after the Italians won 3-0 in Dublin thanks to Ademola Lookman’s hat-trick.
Xabi Alonso’s side had been seeking an unprecedented undefeated treble and came into this match having clinched the Bundesliga title without suffering a loss.
But with just two matches remaining between them and immortality, they succumbed to another of the fairy-tale stories of this season’s European campaign.
Atalanta had been known for overachieving in recent seasons as they regularly reached the Champions League, despite working with a modest budget. But manager Gian Piero Gasperini had yet to win the silverware that would cement his legacy.
And how he has that monkey off his back in style. En route to the final they secured a memorable 3-0 victory at Anfield to knock out Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool and the Italian boss highlighted how important his players’ attitude had been to secure this trophy.
“We needed to be attacking, it was not enough just to defend,” Gasperini told Sky Sports Italia. “We know these teams are great at attacking.
“The way we did it was the most important thing, we deserved it without a shadow of a doubt against such a strong team. Winning the Europa League is an extraordinary achievement.”
Nigeria international Lookman scored all three goals to cap a historic night in the Irish capital to become the first player since Jupp Heynckes in 1975 to score a treble in a European final.
The result meant Atalanta became the first Italian side to win the trophy since Parma in 1999.
For Leverkusen, it will be a low point in what has otherwise been a sensational campaign.
They ended Bayern Munich’s 11-year dominance in the Bundesliga to win the first league title in their history, which was seen as the first leg of a treble with a German Cup final against Kaiserslautern – 13th in Germany’s second tier – still to come at the weekend.
But Alonso was keen to stress how impressive his side’s campaign has been despite this loss.
“The normality is not to get defeated in the 52nd game,” Alonso said in his post-match press conference. “Normally it happens much earlier in the season.
“It’s been quite exceptional what we have achieved and we have to be really proud, probably in some time but for sure today it’s painful.”
