Bundesliga
Leverkusen beaten in Europa League final
Bayer Leverkusen were beaten 3-0 by Atalanta in the 2023/24 UEFA Europa League final, bringing an end to their record 51-game unbeaten run and hopes of landing a continental treble.
Bayer Leverkusen 0-3 Atalanta
Goals: 0-1 Lookman 12' (assist: Zappacosta), 0-2 Lookman 26', 0-3 Lookman 75' (assist: Scamacca)
Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen were fresh off becoming the first team in history to go unbeaten through a full Bundesliga campaign, but they were second best for long stretches of the first half. Gianluca Scamacca had already gone close for Atalanta, when former RB Leipzig attacker Ademola Lookman stole in ahead of Exequiel Palacios to fire the Italians in front with an unstoppable strike from inside the Bayer area. Juan Musso smothered an effort from Bayern Munich loanee defender Josip Stanišić, before Lookman doubled his tally with a sensational long-range effort 25 minutes in. Álex Grimaldo's tame chipped attempt was the closest the 2023/24 Bundesliga champions went to getting on the scoresheet before the break.
The introduction of Victor Boniface injected some attacking purpose into proceedings after the restart. The Nigerian striker was involved in the build-up as Amine Adli's teasing cross was palmed out by Musso, only for Jeremie Frimpong to send the follow-up off target. Musso then prevented Grimaldo from getting on the end of a Florian Wirtz pass into the box to sum up Leverkusen's frustrations. Late goals had got Alonso's side through in the previous rounds, but Atalanta had not read the script. Lookman finished off a brilliant counter to complete his hat-trick and all but wrap up the title. Substitute Patrik Schick went close to reducing the arrears, but it just wasn't Leverkusen's night. They will have the chance to make amends, though, in Saturday's DFB Cup final with Kaiserslautern.
Match stats
- Bayer lost for the first time since defeat to Bochum on the final day of the 2022/23 Bundesliga season. Their 51-game streak is a European record.
- Leverkusen have won 42 of 52 unbeaten games in 2023/24, drawing the other nine and losing once.
- Die Werkself were prevented from scoring for only the second time this season.
- Alonso's side can still win the domestic double.
Line-ups
Leverkusen: Kovář - Stanišić (Boniface 46'), Tah (c), Tapsoba - Frimpong (Tella 81'), Xhaka, Palacios (Andrich 69'), Hincapié - Wirtz (Schick 81'), Adli, Grimaldo (Hložek 69')
Unsued subs: Hrádecký, Lomb, Kossounou, Hofmann, Borja Iglesias, Arthur, Puerta
Out: -
Coach: Xabi Alonso
Atalanta: Musso - Djimsiti (c), Hien, Kolašinac (Scalvini 46') - Zappacosta (Hateboer 84'), Éderson, Koopmeiners, Ruggeri (Tóloi 90'+1) - De Ketelaere (Pašalić 57'), Scamacca (Touré 84'), Lookman
Unused subs: Carnesecchi, Rossi, Holm, De Roon, Bakker, Adopo, Miranchuk
Out: -
Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini
As it happened!
3 - 0(2 - 0)
Atalanta
FINAL
Leverkusen
vs
Heads up for Berlin
There will be very little time for Leverkusen to mull over this one with Saturday's DFB Cup final against Kaiserslautern on the horizon. The runners-up in the Europa League final receive their silver medals but the Bundesliga champions have another shot at gold in just a few days.
90' +3
vs
Boniface hunting
The Nigerian striker sends a shot against Musso and that is probably that.
90' +2
vs
Hložek goes close
Hložek sends a rising, right-footed shot narrowly wide of the upright.
90' +1
vs
Tolói
Ruggeri
88'
vs
Record nears end
After an almost unbelievable 51 games unbeaten this season, Leverkusen are facing into their first defeat of 2023/24.
86'
vs
Atalanta cheer
The Italian supporters are understandably ecstatic as they cheer every pass their team makes that brings them closer to the final whistle.
84'
vs
Hateboer
Zappacosta
84'
vs
Touré
Scamacca
82'
vs
Schick goes close
Schick almost reduces the arrears with a super flick at the near post which is deflected just off target.
81'
vs
Changes
Tella and Schick are on for the closing stages of this final.
81'
vs
Nathan Tella
Jeremie Frimpong
80'
vs
Patrik Schick
Florian Wirtz
78'
vs
Wirtz shot
Florian Wirtz sends a tame shot into the arms of Musso.
75'
vs
Lookman hat-trick
Atalanta race away on the break and former RB Leipzig player Ademola Lookman spanks a sweet shot into the top corner to complete his hat-trick.
73'
vs
Robert Andrich
70'
vs
Koopmeiners
68'
vs
Double swap
Xabi Alonso throws Adam Hložek and Robert Andrich into the mix as Leverkusen look to chase this game down.
68'
vs
Adam Hložek
Alejandro Grimaldo
68'
vs
Robert Andrich
Exequiel Palacios
67'
vs
Tapsoba booked
Lookman looks to break free down the left but is hauled back by Tapsoba. That's a yellow for the Bayer player.
67'
vs
Edmond Tapsoba
63'
vs
Wirtz menacing
Lovely play from Wirtz, who dinks an angled pass in for Grimaldo. Musso races out to claim but he makes contact with the Spaniard and goes down injured. This should take some time.
60'
vs
Zappacosta warned
Zappacosta is booked for a crunching tackle on Adli.
60'
vs
Zappacosta
59'
vs
B04 attack again
Boniface is making his presence felt up front as Leverkusen continue to attack. Adli's cross is palmed out by Musso with Frimpong arriving to send the loose ball over the bar.
57'
vs
Pašalić
De Ketelaere
55'
vs
Scamacca on thin ice?
Scamacca lands one on Hincapié, who goes down holding his throat. A free kick is all that results. The Italian forward has already been booked, remember.
52'
vs
Leverkusen's moment
Tapsoba and Frimpong combine well in what might be Leverkusen's best attacking spell of this game as they push towards the goal behind which sit the majority of their fans.
48'
vs
Atalanta on the attack
Koopmeiners plays a very dangerous, angled ball into the heart of the Leverkusen area. Palacios makes a crucial intervention to concede the corner, which comes to nothing.
46'
vs
Changes
Josip Stanišić makes way for Victor Boniface for Bayer04 at the start of the second half. Meanwhile, Sead Kolašinac leaves the pitch injured prior to kick off, Giorgio Scalvini is on.
46'
vs
Scalvini
Kolašinac
46'
vs
Victor Boniface
Josip Stanišić
46'
vs
Second half underway
Bayer04 get the second half underway ...
264s
vs
Comeback kings
Leverkusen have never given up in any game this season and you can be certain they'll be putting up a huge fight after the break here. What better time to take a look back at some of the Werkself's most spine-tingling moments this season.
45'
vs
Xhaka goes close
The Swiss midfielder sends a whipping shot not all that far wide. Musso may have had that covered.
45'
vs
Time added on
We'll have two minutes tacked onto the end of this first half.
42'
vs
Chances at both ends
Zappacosta sends a menacing shot along the ground which Kovář gets down to save. At the other end, Musso gathers Adli's whipped centre.
36'
vs
Almost Wirtz
Bayer04's No.10 is this close to controlling Xhaka's flighted pass inside the area. Had Wirtz taken that down, the arrears would almost definitely have been reduced.
35'
vs
Double booking
Scamacca is booked for a heavy challenge on Adli. Wirtz expresses his disgust to the referee. Both players are booked.
35'
vs
Florian Wirtz
35'
vs
Scamacca
32'
vs
Grimaldo chance
Suddenly, a break for Leverkusen. Grimaldo is in on the left and Musso has left his goal to try and close the Spaniard down. Grimaldo looks to lift the ball over the advancing keeper but can only send the ball straight into his arms.
31'
vs
Kovář calls for calm
Scamacca rolls a shot straight at Kovář, which gives the Bundesliga side a chance to inhale deeply and reset.
25'
vs
Lookman again
Sloppy play from Leverkusen allows Atalanta in, but the pressure from B04's opponents has been immense. Lookman pounces on the ball before driving forward and bending a superb shot around Kovář from distance. That's a top finish.
21'
vs
Djimsiti booked
Atalanta captain Berat Djimsiti is booked for a trip on Palacios.
21'
vs
Djimsiti
18'
vs
Scamacca chance
The striker gets under the ball and so sends his shot high over the crossbar. These are slightly worrying times for Bayer04, whose tactics have been hampered by a very well drilled Atalanta side thus far.
16'
vs
B04 look to bounce back
Xabi Alonso's men are being smothered here but the Bundesliga champions manage to break out and Josip Stanišić sends a snapshot into the arms of Musso.