Atlanta congratulations �� �� ✨
Atalanta win Europa League as Lookman hat-trick ends Leverkusens unbeaten run
Nothing, not the Roman Empire, not the Zhou dynasty, not even Last of the Summer Wine, lasts for ever, and neither did Bayer Leverkusens unbeaten run. After 51 games, their pursuit of a flawless season came to an end at the penultimate hurdle as an *Ademola Lookman hat-trick, the first in a one‑legged European final since Pierino Prati in 1969, gave *Atalanta a surprisingly compre*hensive victory and their first trophy in 61 years.
After all the talk of the emergence of Xabi Alonso as one of Europes most promising young coaches, it was an experienced old hand who took the laurels. At 66, Gian Piero *Gasperini has his first silverware, a moment of tangible success in a career that has been spent per*forming a highly impressive job out of the limelight. They beat Liverpool 3-0 at Anfield, then Marseille 3-0 in the home leg of the semi-final; nobody can say this was not deserved.
Winning with Atalanta is one of those footballing fairytales that rarely crop up, Gasperini said. It gives scope for meritocracy: there is still scope for ideas and doesnt have to come down to cold, hard money.
He made a point of recalling the dreadful weeks of 2020 when the city of Bergamo was devastated by the Covid panic. We wont be able to do away with all that pain, he said, but we have put a smile on the face of the Bergamasco people.
That talk about Alonso was not wrong: winning the Bundesliga with any side other than Bayern Munich is a remarkable feat, and all the more so to do it the way he has, but here his side were rattled out of their stride by Atalantas organisation and the dynamism of derson and Teun *Koopmeiners in particular.
We were prepared for one-on-one duels all over the pitch but we werent able to impose ourselves, Alonso said. Its painful but its deserved as well. For once, the late surge didnt deliver; at the last, Leverkusen ran out of comebacks.
There was a sense the Europa League was made for this: two teams who have had excellent seasons, both playing bright, vibrant football, given a stage on which to enjoy a grand European night. For the fans of both clubs, there was a palpable excitement just to be here; for them the experience of finals has not become a cloyingly familiar routine as it can seem to have become for fans of the giants.
Well as Atalanta played, Leverkusen didnt help themselves. Their start was oddly nervy, possession too often squandered, and that allowed Atalanta to build a rhythm.
Lookmans first was the result of a bizarre moment of doziness from Exequiel Palacios who *dithered as Davide Zappacosta crossed, *apparently unaware there was anybody behind him, allowing Lookman to steal in front of him, his surname serving as an admonition to Palacios of what he should have been doing.
Nobody imagined he could make this much progress, Gasperini said. He wasnt overly prolific in *England. I played him in a slightly more *attacking role and this season hes had a great year. Tonight he achieved something that will remain in the annals of football history.
Atlanta congratulations �� �� ✨
Leadership is about taking responsibility.not making excuses..🤴 ...
Olympiakos win Europa Conference League after El Kaabi floors Fiorentina
Olympiakos won their first major European trophy as Ayoub El Kaabis late extra-time winner inflicted a second straight Europa Conference League final defeat on Fiorentina.
A forgettable final sparked into life with just four minutes of extra time remaining as El Kaabi turned home the only goal of a game taking place at the home of Olympiakoss rivals AEK Athens.
While the Greek side could celebrate becoming the first team from their country to win a European trophy, Fiorentina were once again left wondering what might have been a year after losing in the final to West Ham.
A lengthy VAR check for offside followed El Kaabis effort but the goal was allowed, settling a final that had failed to burst into life until that point.
Fiorentina thought they had broken the deadlock with just 10 minutes on the clock when defender Nikola Milenkovic turned home only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.
Nicols Gonzlez miscued when presented with a fine chance for Fiorentina towards the end of a tight first half. With little goalmouth action to speak of it was the Serie A side who were carving out more opportunities, but Christian Kouam was the next player to fluff his lines when in a good position.
Olympiakos stood firm and started carving out chances of their own but Vicente Iborra could only glance a header wide as the Europa Conference League final went to an extra period for the first time.
Substitute Stevan Jovetic, a former Fiorentina forward, forced a smart save out of Pietro Terracciano but the moment of individual quality needed to settle the tie was moments away.
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A memorable campaign for El Kaabi who scored five times across the semi-final win over Aston Villa was topped off with his 33rd goal of the season in all competitions, prompting wild celebrations just down the road in Piraeus as he stooped to head home Santiago Hezzes cross.
As players from both sides dropped to their knees, the VAR check eventually sided with Olympiacos who then saw out the closing stages as head coach Jos Luis Mendilibar the clubs third manager of the season secured back-to-back European trophies after guiding Sevilla to Europa League glory last year.
Real always real Madrid......congrats the champion xlub ithu pole onne lokathu ullu athu Real ....
Leadership is about taking responsibility.not making excuses..🤴 ...
UEFA Champions League final: Real Madrid defeat Borussia Dortmund to lift trophy for 15th time
Carvajal and Vinicius Jr scored for Real Madrid to clinch a 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley
Players of Real Madrid celebrate on the winners stage with the UEFA Champions League Trophy during the UEFA Champions League 2023/24 Final match between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid CF at Wembley Stadium on June 01, 2024 in London, England. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
Real Madrid were crowned kings of Europe for a record-extending 15th time with a trademark 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final at a raucous Wembley on Saturday as they were outplayed for an hour but then showed their clinical edge.
After Dortmund had made, but spurned, several good chances, particularly in a one-sided first half, Real took control as Dani Carvajal headed in from a corner after 74 minutes and Vinicius Jr fired home the second nine minutes later.
Victory secured the trophy for the sixth time in 11 seasons, matching the run of the team that started Real's love affair with the European Cup, having won the first five editions of the continent's elite competition from 1956 and another in 1966.
Amazingly it was Real's 10th straight triumph in a European final their last defeat coming against Aberdeen in the Cup Winners Cup showpiece 41 years ago - and they have now won the biggest one more than twice as often as the next best team.
It was also a record-extending fifth success as a coach for Carlo Ancelotti, who also won the trophy twice as a player with AC Milan.
Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid (in white) scores his teams second goal during the UEFA Champions League 2023/24 Final match between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid CF at Wembley Stadium on June 1, 2024 in London, England. |
"I never get used to it, because it was difficult, very difficult, more than expected," the Italian said. "In the second half we were better - this is a dream that continues."
Carvajal summed up the match perfectly after the latest in a seemingly endless run of late turnarounds for his side, who completed a LaLiga-Champions League double.
"After the first half we didn't even deserve to go to the changing room with a level score," he said. "But we came out of the first half alive, knowing that we would have our moment ... and here it is".
The Germans had a dream first half in every aspect other than scoring.
Their first good chance came after 21 minutes when Karim Adeyemi went too wide when rounding goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
Then came a flurry of further opportunities as Niclas Fuellkrug hit the post and low shots by Julian Brandt and Marcel Sabitzer were saved by Courtois, making only his fifth appearance of an injury-hit season.
Yellow wall
Dortmund had been attacking towards their own fans who, revelling in their team's first Champions League final since 2013 and only their third ever, did their best to reproduce the yellow wall atmosphere of their Westfalenstadion with noise and unified bouncing that shook the stadium to its foundations.
Madrid looked livelier from the start in the second half, with Dortmund keeper Gregor Kobel saving a Toni Kroos free kick and Carvajal glancing a header just over.
Courtois then saved a diving header from Fuellkrug and, to the surprise of nobody in the stadium, Dortmund were soon ruing the misses as 5ft 8 ins (172cm) full back Carvajal rose to meet a Kroos corner and steer in a glancing header.
The assist was a fitting way for Germany international midfielder Kroos to mark his final game for the club while he Carvajal, Nacho and Luka Modric all equalled Reals Francisco Gentos record of six titles from their first era of dominance.
Madrid took charge from then on and got the second goal when Dortmund's Ian Maatsen gave the ball away on the edge of their own box, midfielder Jude Bellingham fed Vinicius Jr in acres of space and the Brazilian fired home.
Dortmund's incredible fans continued to sing in defeat, though they and their players will know this was a missed opportunity that will hurt for a long time.
"Today we saw a Dortmund team that we want to see," said coach Edin Terzic, whose side finished fifth in the Bundesliga.
"We played a fantastic game and maybe deserved a bit more than to lose 2-0.
"In the first half we felt we had them. From the first second we showed the world we believed in it. Not just to play the final but also win it.
"We did a lot of things right but they had this killer instinct. They were ice cold and they are deserved champions."
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