Atalanta secured a resounding 3-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League final, held at the Aviva Stadium, to claim the coveted trophy. Despite a modest expected goals tally of 0.81, the Italian side showcased clinical precision, while Leverkusen struggled to capitalize on their chances, managing only 0.82 expected goals and lacking finishing quality.
The breakthrough for Atalanta came in the first half when Lookman connected with a low cross from Zappacosta, finding the back of the net from close range. Lookman then doubled his tally in spectacular fashion, skillfully cutting in from the left, nutmegging Xhaka, and curling a sublime effort into the bottom corner.
With a comfortable lead established, Gasperini's side adopted a more defensive approach in the second half, looking to exploit counter-attacking opportunities as Leverkusen dominated possession. The decisive moment arrived late in the game when Scamacca burst through the midfield and set up Lookman for his hat-trick, with the former Everton player delivering a powerful strike into the top corner.
Despite Leverkusen's impressive unbeaten record in all competitions leading up to the final, Atalanta dealt them a significant blow by ending their streak and lifting the Europa League trophy.
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