Atalanta achieved the biggest victory in their history on Thursday after beating Marseille 3-0 to book a place in the Europa League final.
Goals from Ademola Lookman, academy product Matteo Ruggeri and El Bilal Touré sent Atalanta into their first European final with a 4-1 aggregate victory in front of delirious fans in Bergamo.
Atalanta’s progress to the final in Dublin, where they will face Bayer Leverkusen, later this month was fully deserved, after a dominant performance in which Marseille barely managed to break through in another poor away performance from the Ligue 1 side.
Marseille have won just four away games in all competitions this season and after Ruggeri put Atalanta two points ahead in the 52nd minute, there was no looking back for Jean-Louis Gasset’s side, with Toure adding the cherry on top. cake in additions.
“We will try to put them (Leverkusen) in difficulties, but we cannot think about that now, we have to take it one game at a time,” Ruggeri told Sky Sport.
“Hopefully we can continue, we just have to enjoy the moment and do our best in the final.”
Atalanta, a traditionally provincial team that under Gian Piero Gasperini usually punches above its weight, can now end the season with two trophies when they face Juventus in the Coppa Italia on Wednesday.
This is a remarkable feat for a club whose only major trophy is the 1963 Coppa Italia, while the furthest Atalanta have gone in European competition was the quarter final of the 1988 Cup Winners’ Cup, when they were a second division team.
Atalanta could also qualify for next season’s revamped Champions League via Serie A, as they currently sit fifth and last in Italy in Europe’s premier club competition.
They host Roma, who beat Leverkusen in the other semi-final, on Sunday night in a match that could decide who finishes in the top five.
“It was incredible not only for us, but for the people of Bergamo. It’s an incredible result,” said Atalanta president Antonio Percassi.
“We always start the season saying we want to avoid relegation. Where we are now is simply unthinkable.”
– Atalanta dominates –
Atalanta dominated from the opening whistle and were unlucky not to be ahead after six minutes when Charles De Ketelaere hit the outside of the post.
Scamacca fired a fine shot wide 10 minutes later and shortly afterwards the in-form striker struck the post from close range following chaos from a corner before Pau Lopez tipped over De Ketelaere’s header from the rebound.
And just after half an hour, Lookman put Atalanta ahead on the night and in the tie with his 12th goal of the season, the Nigerian striker’s shot being deflected off Samuel Gigot’s boot before looping past Lopez.
The hosts entered the second half with less urgency and were nearly punished by Marseille four minutes after the restart when Iliman Ndiaye misfired with Atalanta goalkeeper Juan Musso off the line.
And Marseille were punished two minutes later with Ranieri’s sensational second goal of the campaign, the Atalanta academy product unleashing an unstoppable shot after exchanging passes with Lookman.
Marseille could have gone back into the tie when Jordan Veretout’s free-kick surprised Musso and hit the post.
But that would have been more than the French team deserved in a one-sided match, and with the clock ticking and fireworks already exploding outside the stadium, Touré advanced unopposed and gave the game a score that represented the balance of the game.
Touré’s smooth finish was the third of a difficult season in which the Mali striker – Atalanta’s record signing – was restricted to substitute appearances after suffering a serious knee injury in August, only returning to action in February.
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