Lookman Lights Up Europa League Final: Hat-Trick Hero Secures Atalanta Glory!

Lookman: Atalanta won the Europa League, beating Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 in the final in Dublin, Ademola Lookman’s hat trick was a result of a game of a lifetime that put an end to the German club’s 51-game undefeated streak.

Bundesliga title winners Xabi Alonso’s side this season were aiming at a treble, but all turned bleak after Atalanta claimed their first European trophy.

Comeback masters Leverkusen may have dream about a fight back right until the end but Lookman put the final nail in the coffin when he added his third goal of the evening with a ferocious shot in the 75th minute, contributing to Alonso’s team’s first lost this season in their penultimate match of what has been a very impressive season.

Lookman made history when he became the first player to score three goals in a European final since 1975 in a match that was helping Atalanta lift its first ever European trophy.

The club based in Bergamo have for ages now existed in the periphery of footballing powerhouses AC and Inter Milan.

"To win it with Atalanta is perhaps one of the football fairytales that rarely gives scope for meritocracy," Gasperini remarked.

"It doesn't always come down to cold hard numbers or super leagues but shows teams without huge budgets can achieve big things."

In their incredible journey to capture the first-ever Bundesliga title without ever losing, Leverkusen has developed a habit of pulling off late comebacks.

Granit Xhaka, a midfielder for Leverkusen, lamented that it didn't work out for his team during a final.

Although we lost a final tonight, it's still bittersweet since we'll make up for it on Saturday (in the German Cup final).

In just 12 minutes, Atalanta's more deliberate play in the first half was rewarded.

The Nigerian has occasionally had a nomadic career, spending time on loan at Fulham and Leicester after being cut by RB Leipzig and moving around the Premier League's lower divisions.

"In the past few years I've been able to take my game to a new level and show that on a more consistent basis," stated Lookman.

"Although I'm happy with my development, it's only the beginning. I want for more evenings like as these."

"Definitely hurts."

The 26-year-old outwitted Xhaka and curled a strong effort into the far corner for his second goal, which was good enough to win any championship.

After seven Europa League elimination games, Xabi Alonso's team was behind 2-0 for the fourth time.
But Alonso's choice to go into the game without a designated striker did not pan out, and at halftime, he substituted Victor Boniface to provide his team a focal point up front.

But the damage was already done, as the German champions appeared depleted after their unprecedented three-competitions run.

"Things did not proceed as expected. Since we weren't doing at our best today, we will improve."

After the interval, Atalanta was content to withstand the onslaught from Leverkusen and launch a counterattack.

Lookman's last strike was again another amazing finish, this time bouncing past Edmond Tapsoba and blasting into the top corner with his less strong left foot.

Prior to this week's Coppa Italia loss to Juventus, Atalanta had lost all three of their prior finals under Gasperini.

By achieving this, they made history as the first Italian team to triumph in the competition since Parma won the UEFA Cup in 1999.