Ademola Lookman is thrown in the air in celebration by his Atalanta team-mates after his hat-trick won the Europa League final Credit: Getty Images/Richard Heathcote
Ally McCoist on Atalanta’s team performance
What a performance! And what a level of performance for an entire 90+ minutes. A tactical masterclass from Gian Piero Gasperini, he asked his players to do a job tonight and they have done it and then some! A man of the match performance from Ademola Lookman, all three goals and the quality fo the finishes are something we will be watching for many years to come.

Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini celebrates after winning the Europa League fina
CREDIT: Reuters/Molly Darlington
10:08PM
Joe Cole speaking about Lookman’s journey on TNT
Set-backs, adversity – ultimately, to get to the top in football you have to go through adversity and the players that come through and not give up… that young man has it in abundance and has written himself into the history books.

10:07PM
Lookman with his man of the match award
Ademola Lookman of Atalanta BC poses for a photograph
CREDIT: Getty Images/Alex Pantling
10:01PM
Lookman on his performance
One of the best nights of my life. Amazing performance by the team and we did it. Not got many words to say!

Got to celebrate, we made history tonight.

Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman celebrates with teammates after winning the Europa League final
CREDIT: Reuters/Molly Darlington
9:59PM
Gasperini leads the celebrations in his jeans
9:54PM
FT: Atalanta 3 Bayer Leverkusen 0
Bayern Leverkusen’s 51-game unbeaten run is over and the ‘invincible treble’ dream is over. Atalanta win their first European trophy. That was a consummate team performance, and Ademola Lookman was the game’s outstanding individual. Atalanta dominated the game and nullified Xabi Alonso’s team. Lookman will never have to buy an aperitivo in Bergamo again.

CREDIT: PA/Niall Carson
9:51PM
93 minutes: Atalanta 3 Bayer Leverkusen 0
Still time for Lookman to win another duel and free-kick. He has terrorised Leverkusen all night, and it has not mattered which player ends up marking him.

9:50PM
92 minutes: Atalanta 3 Bayer Leverkusen 0
Leverkusen substitute Hlozek with a good dig from 25 yards but it flies wide. Leverkusen are heading towards their first defeat in 51 games.

9:49PM
90 minutes: Atalanta 3 Bayer Leverkusen 0
In the dying seconds of normal time, there are appeals for a Leverkusen penalty for a foul by Scalvini. It looked like the attacker crept up on his blindside and Scalvini kicked him in the back of the leg. VAR does check…but the referee says play on.

Just four minutes of stoppage time to play.

9:47PM
86 minutes: Atalanta 3 Bayer Leverkusen 0
Leverkusen worked an opening for Tella wide right but Ruggeri blocked the cross before Hien won a towering defensive header from the corner. For all their pressing and enterprising football, Atalanta have defended their box well too.

9:42PM
83 minutes: Atalanta 3 Bayer Leverkusen 0
The game has been broken up by further substitutions, and that will suit Atalanta just fine. They can see the finish line now.

9:39PM
81 minutes: Atalanta 3 Bayer Leverkusen 0
Atalanta have scored another small victory: Wirtz has been subbed by Alonso, perhaps with the German Cup final on Saturday in mind. Schick and Nathan Tella have been introduced.

9:37PM
78 minutes: Atalanta 3 Bayer Leverkusen 0
This has been a comprehensive team performance from Atalanta, brilliantly set up by Gasperini and Lookman has produced one of the great individual performances in a European final. This game is surely beyond Leverkusen now.

9:34PM
GOOOOAAAALLL! Lookman completes his hat-trick
The second goal was outstanding, this one might be even better. Scamacca led the Atalanta counter-attack, and he delayed and delayed before passing the ball left for Lookman. He isolates Tapsoba in the box and shifts the ball to his left, before rifling a shot across the goalkeeper into the top corer. Unsaveable. Unplayable.

9:32PM
74 minutes: Atalanta 2 Bayer Leverkusen 0
One goal could change everything, but Leverkusen do not have the look of a team about to lay siege on the Atalanta goal in the closing stages. Atalanta have been so diligent in their closing down, and have played this game at the tempo they want.

9:28PM

69 minutes: Atalanta 2 Bayer Leverkusen 0
Alonso making another change: Hlozek is on for Grimaldo and Andrich is on for Palacios. Wirtz with a neat turn in midfield, and Koopmeiners drags him back at the expense of a yellow card.

9:25PM
67 minutes: Atalanta 2 Bayer Leverkusen 0
Atalanta now gain some territory and are intent to keep Leverkusen in their own half for a period. Wirtz gets himself the wrong side of the Atalanta midfield for a split second, but Scalvini stepped out to read the attempted through ball. Then Lookman produces another drop of the shoulder to win a free-kick.

9:22PM
64 minutes: Atalanta 2 Bayer Leverkusen 0
Koopmeiners goes down looking for a foul in midfield but nothing doing, and Leverkusen can break. Boniface had time and space but Ederson cut out his pass into the penalty area. Then Musso produces some brave goalkeeping to claim a cross when it seemed Grimaldo was free to win a header a the back post. The goalkeeper stays down and kills some time.

Atalanta’s Argentine goalkeeper #01 Juan Musso catches the ball next to Bayer Leverkusen’s Spanish defender #20 Alejandro Grimaldo
CREDIT: Getty Images/Oli Scarff
9:20PM
62 minutes: Atalanta 2 Bayer Leverkusen 0
Superb work from Lookman who hold off Xhaka and win a foul after the ball was hooked up to him. Lookman has been the outstanding attacker on the pitch tonight.

9:17PM
59 minutes: Atalanta 2 Bayer Leverkusen 0
Half a chance for Leverkusen as Frimpong volleys over after a Musso parry, but it was a difficult opportunity to take on first time. Maybe a few signs that Atalanta are starting to tire and drop back into a deeper defensive shape. Adli far too sharp for Zappacosta wide left, and the former Chelsea man hacked him down at the expense of a booking.

9:15PM
57 minutes: Atalanta 2 Bayer Leverkusen 0
Gasperini making another change: Pasalic is on for De Ketelaere. Frimpong’s cross is deflected into the grateful arms of Musso. Atalanta continue to look comfortable and the game has gone a little flat which suits them fine with a two-goal lead.

9:12PM
54 minutes: Atalanta 2 Bayer Leverkusen 0
A better spell of possession from Leverkusen, working the ball from side to side in Atalanta’s defensive third. They win another corner, taken short, but once again it comes to nothing. Leverkusen need to make more of these set-piece situations.

9:09PM
53 minutes: Atalanta 2 Bayer Leverkusen 0
Ederson with strong defensive work again for Atalanta, and the Italian side deal with the inswinging corner. Leverkusen’s delivery from another wide free-kick is poor once again from Wirtz, who has not found his range all night.

9:08PM
50 minutes: Atalanta 2 Bayer Leverkusen 0
Hincapie with some crucial last-ditch defending or else De Ketelaere would have had a tap-in and this final would have been over. More fluid football from Atalanta down their left flank, with Lookman involved again.

9:06PM
47 minutes: Atalanta 2 Bayer Leverkusen 0
Against a team who play a high line like Atalanta, you are almost tempted into playing direct balls over the top. Leverkusen have not done so with any accuracy so far tonight.

9:04PM
We’re back under way
Leverkusen need to change the whole dynamic and feel of this game in the opening exchanges of the second half.

9:03PM
Changes at the break…
As expected, Alonso has made a change: the striker Boniface is on for Stanisic. Atalanta have been forced into a change. Kolasinac came out for the second half but hobbled off. He has been replaced by youngster Scalvini.

8:57PM
HT: Atalanta 2 Bayer Leverkusen 0
An exhibition from Atalanta, as good a team performance as you will see in a final. Leverkusen have had no answers to their aggressive, man-on-man pressing, and Lookman’s second goal was a piece of individual brilliance. Back to the drawing board for Alonso, but this season has taught us never to write off Leverkusen.

Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz reacts to a referee decision during the Europa League final soccer match
CREDIT: AP/Kirsty Wigglesworth
8:46PM
45 minutes: Atalanta 2 Bayer Leverkusen 0
Just the two minutes of added time to play. Xhaka with an attempt from distance, but there was not much conviction in it and the ball bounced wide of the post.

8:44PM
43 minutes: Atalanta 2 Bayer Leverkusen 0
Atalanta with a chance to score the third, but De Ketelaere’s side-foot shot was straight at the goalkeeper. It was a sublime outside of the foot pass from Scammaca to find him. De Ketelaere could have slipped a pass to the overlapping run rather than shooting.

8:41PM
40 minutes: Atalanta 2 Bayer Leverkusen 0
Xhaka with an attempted pass out to Frimpong but there was too much on it, and it drifts out for a throw. Atalanta continue to defend impressively, this time absorbing a longer spell of Leverkusen possession.

8:39PM

38 minutes: Atalanta 2 Bayer Leverkusen 0
It is not just about Atalanta’s high pressing, they leave themselves one-on-one at the back against Leverkusen’s nippy forwards and their defenders have coped really well. Excellent covering for Kolasinac to track Frimpong and win the ball cleanly. Kolasinac a player who looked to have no interest in defending at Arsenal.

8:37PM
35 minutes: Atalanta 2 Bayer Leverkusen 0
Grimaldo with half a chance for Leverkusen, just inside the penalty area on the left. Atalanta’s goalkeeper Musso was stranded halfway out of his goal, but Grimaldo failed to lift the ball over him. Then Scamacca is booked for a late challenge on halfway.

8:33PM
32 minutes: Atalanta 2 Bayer Leverkusen 0
Atalanta are still flooding forward, and Leverkusen just cannot get out. Alonso might be considering a change before half time at this rate. He needs to find a way of finding the spare player when Leverkusen are building play in their own half. It’s full of dead ends at the moment.

Ademola Lookman of Atalanta BC celebrates scoring his team’s second goal
CREDIT: Getty Images/Julian Finney
8:31PM
29 minutes: Atalanta 2 Bayer Leverkusen 0
Half-hearted appeals for a Leverkusen penalty but Kolasinac made solid contact on the ball when challenging Adli. Leverkusen’s season has featured some memorable comebacks this season, but this one would top the lot.

8:28PM
GOOOOAALL! Lookman scores again for Atalanta
A minute or so after beating Stanisic with a piece of skill, Lookman has nutmegged Xhaka and curled a shot into the bottom corner from 25 yards out. What a fantastic goal. It all came from Leverkusen losing the ball in the first phase again, with Atalanta winning the ball from a loose goal kick. Atalanta in command though, but Leverkusen have continuously got out of jail on this run.

8:26PM
24 minutes: Atalanta 1 Bayer Leverkusen 0
Leverkusen are still struggling to find any rhythm, every pass looks a struggle at the moment, and they look permanently on the verge of losing the ball. Lookman with some quick feet to beat Stanisic, he is playing with so much confidence.

8:22PM
21 minutes: Atalanta 1 Bayer Leverkusen 0
This has been a very impressive opening spell form Atalanta, the question is can they maintain this intensity across 90 minutes? Xhaka is an excellent progressive passer but is not the best at manipulating the ball under his feet, and Atalanta are trying to keep his head down with their pressing.

Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman, center, celebrates with his teammates after scoring his side’s opening goal
CREDIT: AP/Frank Augstein
8:20PM
19 minutes: Atalanta 1 Bayer Leverkusen 0

That was Leverkusen’s best move of the game, with Tapsoba finding the run of Frimpong with a lovely pass inside wing-back. His pull-back came for Wirtz but he scuffed the shot, before Stanisic’s shot was deflected straight into the arms of Musso.

8:17PM
15 minutes: Atalanta 1 Bayer Leverkusen 0
Atalanta’s pressing is working wonders so far. Alonso decided against starting recognised centre-forward Boniface, but they are being forced into longer passes without a physical presence up there. Atalanta are pouncing on every short pass and heavy touch at the moment.

8:14PM
GOOOOAALL! Lookman scores the opening goal (Atalanta 1 Leverkusen 0)
The Italian side have drawn first blood in the Europa League final. It came from the second-phase of Lookman’s corner which was cleared. Zappacosta got in down the right and whipped a clever ball across goal, and Leverkusen’s Palacios lost track of where Lookman was at the back post. Well taken first-time finish and Atalanta lead. The former Charlton Athletic and Everton winger has scored in a European final.

8:12PM
12 minutes: Atalanta 0 Bayer Leverkusen 0
Atalanta have had the better of this so far, and Ederson has helped them win a corner on the left which Lookman will swing in with his right foot.

8:09PM
8 minutes: Atalanta 0 Bayer Leverkusen 0
Encouraging few minutes for Atalanta after a loose Xhaka pass back inside in his own half. Scamacca just could not direct a header on goal from De Ketelaere’s delivery. Atalanta are trying to impose their high, man-to-man pressure on Leverkusen, encouraging them to play long.

8:07PM
6 minutes: Atalanta 0 Bayer Leverkusen 0
Wirtz’s delivery from a wide free-kick was poor before Atalanta goalkeeper Musso comes off his line to punch. Ederson in the Atalanta midfield looks to clip a ball in behind Leverkusen’s back five for the run of Lookman but there is just too much on it. De Ketelaere then fails to make the most of a promising opening after a loose header from Tapsoba. Hincapie then concedes a clumsy foul though, and Atalanta have a free-kick in a crossing position wide right.

8:04PM
3 minutes: Atalanta 0 Bayer Leverkusen 0
Leverkusen settle into their first spell of possession with Xhaka knocking a pass around the corner, but Scamacca then links up well with De Ketelaere. Nice hold up play from the former West Ham striker. Florian Wirtz enjoying early touches, and then Kolasinac is penalised for a barge in the back.

8:02PM
KICK OFF!
Atalanta get the game started. Can they succeed where so many others have failed and halt Leverkusen?

7:57PM
The stage is set in Dublin
The players are in the tunnel and both sets of supporters have their flag displays and tifo emblazoned across their sections of the Aviva Stadium. The pitch looked pristine during the warm-ups. On paper, this should be an open game full of chances but finals can be strange.

7:48PM
Leverkusen fans have made themselves at home
Leverkusen fans during the UEFA Europa League 2023/24 final match
CREDIT: Getty Images/Harry Murphy
7:47PM
Xabi Alonso speaking to TNT
For sure we have a great chance after so many years not reaching a final. It’s going be great but tough as well.

We have another final on Saturday but this is a big one.

I try to use my experience for how to help them and how to prepare them mentally. There are going to be good moments and tough moments and you have to deal with that as a team.

It’s a final but it’s a game and we played so many games. We cannot divert from our style.

Xabi Alonso the head coach / manager of Bayer Leverkusen
CREDIT: Getty Images/Robbie Jay Barratt
7:29PM
The warm-ups have started
Speaking to TNT, Xhaka says: “What we are doing, going unbeaten in the league and the cup, I don’t believe anyone else is going to do it.”

Granit Xhaka of Bayer 04 Leverkusen passes the ball as he warms up prior to the UEFA Europa League 2023/24 final match
CREDIT: Getty Images/Julian Finney
7:18PM
Gasperini on facing Leverkusen
I think we are in the best possible condition in a psychological and physical sense.

Leverkusen are a complete team, extremely organised. They are versatile, they can defend and recover the ball well. The results they have achieved this season are not an accident.

We have to respect them and try to adapt quickly to the opponents we are facing.

Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini inspects the pitch before the UEFA Europa League final

CREDIT: PA/Liam McBurney