Historical series breaks
Former Leipzig player dismantles Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League final
22.05.2024, 22:51
From the dream of the triple: The German champions Bayer Leverkusen lose the first game of the season in the final of the Europa League. Xabi Alonso’s team never found its way into the game against Atalanta Bergamo, and former Leipzig player Ademola Lookman scored all three goals in the Italians’ 3-0 win.
After the crushing defeat, Xabi Alonso consoled his players with a stone-faced expression, while next door the heroes of Atalanta Bergamo threw the triple goalscorer Ademola Lookman into the air: The high-flyers from Bayer Leverkusen were mercilessly torn from all treble dreams shortly before the big goal. In the 0:3 (0:2) final of the Europa League, the ice-cold ex-Leipzig lookman (12th/26th/75th) destroyed all hopes and caused the first defeat of the season for coach Alonso’s team, which had almost no chance.
“We have to be honest: today it was deserved, we had imagined much more. We have to congratulate Atalanta. If you get three goals and don’t score any, that’s deserved,” said national player Robert Andrich on RTL. The Bayer team found consolation in the 12,000 fans who traveled with them, who immediately got their team in the mood for the DFB Cup final on Saturday.
Not only did the factory club miss out on their first international trophy since the UEFA Cup triumph in 1988, their successful run in Dublin also ended after 51 games without defeat. Four days after handing over the championship trophy, Bayer wanted to take the penultimate step towards sporting immortality, but due to a catastrophic first half, only the double is waiting as a “consolation prize” in the cup final on Saturday against second division team 1. FC Kaiserslautern.
Atalanta, with coach Gian Piero Gasperini, had recently lost in the Italian Cup final against Juventus Turin, but now played cheekily and satisfied the longing for the first title in 61 years at the final premiere in the European Cup. Match winner Lookman became the first player to score three goals in a European Cup final for Borussia Mönchengladbach since Jupp Heynckes in 1975. Eintracht Frankfurt was the last Bundesliga club to win the Europa League in 2022.
Bayer without a real striker, Lookman ice cold
Many of the 12,000 or so Bayer fans who had travelled to Shelbourne Park were in the mood for the first of two finals this week, while 8,000 fans were cheering along at a large public viewing event at home. The championship trophy was even there in the Irish capital as a lucky charm, as sporting director Simon Rolfes revealed.
Exceptional talent Florian Wirtz, who was in the starting line-up for the first time since the beginning of May after a thigh problem, was supposed to take care of the field. As was the case throughout the European Cup season, goalkeeper Matej Kovar was given preference over regular goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky.
As in the first leg of the semi-final in Rome, Leverkusen started without a real striker, but was initially challenged defensively anyway. After a few wobbles in the opening phase, Lookman escaped his marker Exequiel Palacios and punished Bayer from the backcourt. It was also the Nigerian who danced around half the defense and curled the ball into the corner.
Pep Guardiola knew everything
Leverkusen had one of the weakest halves of the season, the Werkself were always at least one step too late. Wirtz’s offense remained pale, with only Alejandro Grimaldo (35th) and Granit Xhaka (45th) scoring goals. After the first half, everyone knew why Manchester City’s star coach Pep Guardiola once said: “Playing against Atalanta is like going to the dentist.”
The Italians showed why they had already eliminated Liverpool FC on their way to the final. Alonso reacted and brought on Victor Boniface for the second half. Bayer increased the pressure on the Italians a little, but no clear chances arose for the team that became the first to finish a Bundesliga season undefeated last weekend.
Leverkusen had already failed against Bergamo in their first meeting in the round of 16 in 2022. Bayer’s efforts came to nothing, instead Lookman refined his performance with his left foot. This time there was no comeback, as Alonso’s team had done so often this season.