Atalanta defeated Bayer Leverkusen’s Invincibles 3-0 in the Europa League final, ending a 61-year championship wait with their first European triumph.
Ademola Lookman of Nigeria scored a hat-trick in the 12th, 26th, and 75th minutes at the Dublin Arena as the Bergamo side defeated Bundesliga champions Leverkusen for the first time this season in the 52nd match overall.
It was Atalanta’s first trophy since winning the Coppa Italia in 1963, and Italy’s first triumph in Europe’s second tier tournament in 25 years, when Parma won in 1999, followed by the UEFA Cup. Success came a week after Atalanta lost the Italian Cup final against Juventus.
Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen may still conclude the season on a high note by defeating Kaiserslautern in Saturday’s German Cup final in Berlin for a domestic double without defeat. They became the first-ever side to go unbeaten over a full Bundesliga season last weekend.
