Atalanta’s Gian Piero Gasperini glad to end Italy’s 25-year Europa League ‘curse’

DUBLIN – Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini is proud of bringing the Europa League trophy to Italy after 25 “cursed” years, he said, following his side’s emphatic 3-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in the final.

Ademola Lookman’s stunning hat-trick helped Atalanta secure a second major trophy in their 117-year history in the final in Dublin, Ireland, on May 22. The result also ended Leverkusen’s remarkable 51-game unbeaten streak.

They became the first Italian club to win the competition since Parma in 1999, when it was known as the Uefa Cup.

“Hugely proud for all of Italy, because it was a cursed trophy, even if it was only Inter (Milan) and Roma who made the final over the last 25 years and lost,” said Gasperini.

“Having won it with Atalanta is perhaps one of those footballing fairy tales that very rarely happen and it does show there’s still room for meritocracy in football. There’s still room for ideas, and it doesn’t only come down to numbers and the Super League (clubs).”

The club, founded in 1907, have a long history intertwined with the northern Italian city of Bergamo. In 2020, Bergamo became an epicentre of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The severity of the outbreak reported a death rate five times higher than in previous years and wreaked havoc on its economy.

Asked what it means to the people of Bergamo after the challenges of the pandemic, he said: “It’s hard to erase certain scares even if a number of years have since passed by. They were very painful moments.

“The people of Bergamo were always ready to react even when it got tough. Of course, we won’t be able to do away with all of that pain, but I think we have managed to put a smile on the faces of the people of Bergamo.”

Even on the pitch, La Dea have faced their fair share of struggles. They have won just one major trophy in their history, the 1963 Coppa Italia, and have lost in the final three times since 2019, including most recently against Juventus earlier in May.

“We lost three finals. It was tough, but we won the most important trophy and that makes up for everything,” midfielder Mario Pasalic told Sky Sport Italia.

Defender Berat Djimsiti added: “When I first arrived (in 2016), Atalanta were playing to avoid relegation. Bringing in Gasperini, he always wants to improve players and get the best out of everyone – over the years I started to imagine we could win a trophy.”

At 66 years 117 days, Gasperini is the oldest coach to win the tournament, trumping Jose Luis Mendilibar, who was 62 years 78 days old when he led Sevilla to the 2023 title.

One of the players the Italian has improved is Lookman, the first player to score a hat-trick in a European final since 1975.

The former England youth international had previously struggled for first-team opportunities at Everton and RB Leipzig, and had loan spells in the lower reaches of the English Premier League at Fulham and Leicester City.

Now he will forever be fondly remembered as the architect of the finest victory in Atalanta’s history.

Aside from his 15 goals for Atalanta this season, he also helped fire Nigeria to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations earlier in 2024 and believes his career is ready to explode at the age of 26.

Said Lookman: “Maybe it could have come earlier, but it’s come now. This is just the beginning. I hope for more nights like this and to keep getting better and better.

He pointed in particular to Gasperini’s belief in attacking football that has helped him to flourish, saying: “The first conversations I had with him made me look at football a lot different. It made things simple. It allowed me to play my game in a different light.

“I’m very grateful... In the past two years I’ve been able to take my game to a whole new level.”

However, Gasperini may not be able to improve his game even further with Napoli courting his services.

Asked about the speculation after the final, he said: “I will talk to the president tomorrow. We’ll see.

“I am in an odd situation sort of like where I am married with children, but meet an absolutely beautiful woman. Maybe that’s not a good example for me to say on television!”

Atalanta president Antonio Percassi added: “We have one more year on the contract, so it’s impossible for someone to come and take him.

“If the coach comes to us with a suggestion, we would with great sadness consider it, but we are not thinking about modifying our agreement.” REUTERS, AFP