Ademola Lookman: Super Eagles winger help Atlanta win Uefa Europa League, spoil Bayer Leverkusen form – BBC News Pidgin

New Informate 23 May 2024

Ademola Lookman put imsef for inside Atalanta history book as e score a hat-trick for di final of di Europa League on Wednesday night against Bayer Leverkusen.

Di Naija boy wey dem born for London na only di sixth player wey go score hat-trick in a European final, and im na di first since Jupp Heynckes do am for Borussia Monchengladbach in di 1975 Uefa Cup.

Di win dey more spectacular sake of say Bayer Leverkusen neva lose any match dis season, and dem don already win di German Bundesliga.

Bifor Wednesday night, di 26-year-old Lookman neva score up to 10 goals for one season for di times im bin play for Charlton, Everton, RB Leipzig, Fulham or Leicester.

But di former England Under-21 forward don score 15 goals for each of di two seasons wey im don stay for Atalanta.

“Na one of di best nights of my life,” Lookman tell TNT sports afta di match, we gatz celebrate, we don make history.”

“I always get confidence for my ability. For di past two years I don dey able to take my game to a new level and show am on a more consistent basis.

“I dey pleased wit di progress wey I don dey make but dis na just di beginning. I hope for more nights like dis.”

Dis Europa League victory na only di second piece of trophy wey Atalanta dey win for dia 116-year history. Di first na di 1963 Coppa Italia. Last week Juventus beat dem for di Coppa Italia final.

Also dis na di first Italian team to win di Europa League since 1999.

Coach Gian Piero Gasperini bicom di oldest manager to win di tournament at di age of 66 years and 117 days, and na di first trophy e dey win since joining Atalanta in 2016.

“I dey hugely proud for all of Italy because it dis na cursed trophy. To win am wit Atalanta na perhaps one of dose footballing fairytales wey dey rarely crop up,” Gasperini tok.

“Typically di clubs wey dey win trophies normally dey usually struggle to keep costs down. Atalanta don manage to win things and still remain a financially sustainable club. E dey extraordinary.”

Dis no be Atalanta and Leverkusen first Europa League match; back for 2021/22 round of 16, Gian Piero Gasperini side bin get upper hand pass Werkself team wey Gerardo Seoane bin coach, dem win 3-2 at home and den1-0 for di Bay Arena. Dat result go ginger di Serie A side, wey comot Liverpool for dis year quarter-final. Dia striker Gianluca Scamacca dey peak form for just di right time. But, many feel say di game go tight sake of Xabi Alonso team current form

Di Italian side get two African players for dia squad for di final, Nigeria striker Ademola Lookman and Mali striker EL Bilal Toure.

While di German champions get three African player Striker, Victor Boniface, two defenders Odilon kossounou from Ivory Coast and Edmond Tapsoba defender from Burkina Faso.

Five-time runners-up in di past, Leverkusen win dia first Bundesliga title dis year and dem fit complete di treble if dem win di Europa League final plus victory against Kaiserslautern for di German Cup on Saturday 25 May.

Dis dey different to Leverkusen famous 2001/02 campaign, wen dem bin finish second for Bundesliga and runners-up for both di German Cup and UEFA Champions League. Di

Di 2-2 draw against Roma for dia semi-final second leg na dia 49th game unbeaten since di season start (dem don extend dat run to 51 matches), and di number of crucial late goals dem don score show di kain mindset Xabi Alonso team get.

Atalanta: Musso; Djimsiti, Hien, Scalvini; Zappacosta, Koopmeiners, Ederson, Ruggeri; De Ketelaere, Scamacca, Lookman

No go play: Holm (calf), De Roon (thigh)

Doubtful: Tolói (thigh), Kolašinac (thigh)

Leverkusen: Kovář; Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie; Stanišić, Palacios, Xhaka, Grimaldo; Wirtz; Frimpong, Adli

Gian Piero Gasperini, Atalanta coach tell Uefa say: “Di final na historic event. For teams like us, e dey truly incredible, but na good omen for everyone. Na historic achievement for us – we also celebrate afta Liverpool, afta Sporting, rightly so. But we know very well say e no dey over. “

Xabi Alonso, Leverkusen coach: “We dey happy to reach di final. We go play two finals in one week as a result. We bin show great character [for di di semi-final against Roma]. I look my players for dia eye and see say dem want more. We still get di chance to win three titles, and my boys deserve all three titles.”