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's memorable 51-game unbeaten run came to an end against Atalanta with just two hurdles to jump in Dublin's Europa League final - as Ademola Lookman ran them ragged with a hat-trick to signal a 3-0 win for the Italian outfit. Xabi Alonso's men were tipped as the favourites before the game, having gone an entire campaign unbeaten, alongside failing to lose any of their Europa League clashes and progressing to the German Cup final. Two games from an unprecedented campaign and one of the greatest achievements in footballing history, fans flocked to Ireland to see them stand on the shoulder of giants.

But it went oh, so wrong for the German champions - with their tactical set-up being the main reason for their downfall. Too many defensive players on the pitch saw Leverkusen fall foul to the Atalanta press, and that told after just 11 minutes when a square ball from Davide Zappacosta found Lookman at the back post, catching Exequiel Palacios napping and firing the ball into the roof of the net to send Gian Piero Gasperini ecstatic. It was soon two; Lookman took the ball on the run and after nutmegging a Leverkusen player, he fired into the corner and beyond Matej Kovar to see an upset on the cards.



It was a tale of the entire game; Leverkusen looked lethargic, Atalanta looked invigorated despite their Italian Cup loss to Juventus, and the Germans never really registered a proper chance - bar Alex Grimaldo's woeful strike that sailed into Juan Musso's arms. The second half wasn't a.

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