'A Footballing Fairytale'- Gasperini Takes Pride In Atalanta's Europa League Win
Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini has described his side's Europa League final win over Bayer Leverkusen as a "footballing fairytale".
The Italian side became the first team to beat Bayer Leverkusen this season, ending the German champions' 51-game unbeaten run with a stunning 3-0 victory at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
Nigeria international Ademola Lookman stole the headlines with a fantastic hattrick as Atalanta became the first Italian side to win the Europa League in its rebranded form since Parma won the defunct UEFA Cup in 1999.
Atalanta knocked out Sporting Lisbon, Liverpool and Olympique Marseille in the knockout rounds to reach the final.
"Hugely proud for all of Italy, because it was a cursed trophy, even if it was only Inter and Roma who made the final over the last 25 years and lost," Gasperini told reporters.
"Having won it with Atalanta is perhaps one of those footballing fairytales that very rarely happens, 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].
"We produced a wonderful performance, and we needed to do that against such a top side [in Bayer Leverkusen]. We scored three splendid goals."
