Ademola Lookman was the hero for Atalanta, scoring a hat-trick as the Italians defeated German Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 to win their first-ever European title.
Lookman’s goals came in the 12th, 26th, and 76th minutes, with his second goal being a stunning display of skill, dribbling past his marker and firing a well-taken shot past Leverkusen’s goalkeeper Matej Kovar.
The Nigeria international became the first player in the competition’s history to score a hattrick in the final. He is also only the second player to score a hat-trick in the final of a major European competition for an Italian side, after Pierino Prati in Milan against Ajax in the 1969 European Cup.
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This historic win marks Atalanta’s first major trophy since the club was established in 1907. Additionally, it ended Bayer Leverkusen’s impressive 51-game unbeaten streak in all competitions this season.
Lookman’s impressive performance and Atalanta’s dominant win will be remembered as a landmark moment in the club’s history.
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Atalanta become the first Italian team to win the UEFA Cup/Europa League since Parma in 1999.