Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso conceded that Atalanta were deserved winners of the Europa League after seeing his team succumb to a bruising 3-0 loss inspired by Ademola Lookman’s hat trick in the final held in Dublin.
Lookman’s (26) hat trick ended Leverkusen’s chase of an unprecedented unbeaten treble and ushered in a new era for the Italians, who finally secured silverware after a 61-year drought.
The Germans had lasted 51 official matches without tasting defeat. They had not lost in 12 games in the Europa League this season.
“It wasn’t lost in terms of attitude; it was a football thing. It happens, it’s football, today wasn’t meant to be. They were better. It’s exceptional what we have done. Today is painful, but it is deserved as well,” Alonso told TNT Sports.
Leverkusen were aiming to lift the Europa League trophy for the second time in the team’s history. They clinched the 1988 competition, which was still named the UEFA Cup.
“These defeats in a final, you don’t forget them. We had a big chance, we put everything on today, but it didn’t go as planned, we weren’t on our best level, and we will learn from today.
“How we deal with the pain will be a challenge for us,” Alonso added.
Despite the crushing defeat, Leverkusen have a chance of securing an unbeaten domestic double when they take on FC Kaiserslautern in Saturday’s DFB Pokal final.
Alonso has urged his side to learn from this defeat and switch focus to Saturday’s final.
“It’s our first defeat of the season, so it will be a test as to how we deal with it because we have a big game on Saturday.
“Normally it happens earlier in the season, but when it happens in such a big game, it hurts. But we have to use this pain in a positive way. It’s football; the normality is not to lose the first game in the 52nd game,” said Alonso, who was visibly sad.
