By Songu Michael.
Nigerian forwards, Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella are looking to build on their recent Bundesliga success with Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League final today against fellow Nigerian Ademola Lookman’s Atalanta. The game will be aired on GOtv.
Xabi Alonso’s team is aiming for their second Europa League title as they strive for an unbeaten treble. However, they faced a strong attacking Atalanta team that eliminated Liverpool from the competition. Watch the match live on GO Football (ch 61) at 8 pm.
Leverkusen staged a comeback from a two-goal deficit against Roma, securing a 2-2 draw in the second leg of the semi-final with goals from Leandro Paredes. An own goal by Gianluca Mancini turned the tie in Leverkusen’s favor, with Josip Stanisic’s late goal confirming their spot in the final with a 4-2 aggregate score.
After the match, Alonso expressed his satisfaction with reaching the final and praised his players for their character and determination. He believes they have the opportunity to win three titles, acknowledging their hard work and commitment.
Nigerian forward Lookman scored in Atalanta’s 3-0 victory over Marseille in the Europa League semi-final, leading them to their first European final appearance with a 4-1 aggregate score. Atalanta’s coach, Gian Piero Gasperini, is eyeing his first managerial trophy and a place in the history books for his Italian team.
Gasparini highlighted the historic achievement of reaching the European final but stressed that there are still important games ahead before facing Leverkusen. The two teams previously met in the Last 16 of the 2021/22 Europa League season, with Gasperini’s Atalanta winning 4-2 on aggregate after a 3-2 home victory and a 0-1 defeat away. Atalanta aims to repeat this success against Leverkusen, who are undefeated under the guidance of Alonso, a former Champions League winner with Liverpool and Real Madrid.
