UEFA Europa League 2023-24: Decoding the season in stats
The UEFA Europa League 2023-24 season came to an end with Italian outfit Atalanta winning their maiden European crown. Atalanta defeated Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 on a starry night in Dublin. Ademola Lookman scored a hat-trick, helping his side end Leverkusen's 51-match unbeaten run in all competitions this season. It was a solid tactical masterclass from Gian Piero Gasperini. Here we decode the season's stats.
What happened in the final?
Former Chelsea defender Davide Zappacosta's cross saw Lookman open the scoring with a back-post finish on 12 minutes. Lookman doubled the advantage with a stunning curling effort 14 minutes later. Leverkusen's best chance in the first half fell to Alejandro Grimaldo but he fired over. Lookman wrapped up his third goal from Gianluca Scamacca's assist with a powerful left-footed strike in the 76th minute.
Massive records made by Atalanta after trophy win
Atalanta became the first Italian team to win the competition in the Europa League era. The last previous Italian team to win the UEFA Cup/Europa League were Parma in 1998-99. At 66 years and 117 days, Gasperini is the oldest coach to win his debut major European final. He is also the second Italian coach to win the UEL after Maurizio Sarri in 2019.
Leverkusen saw their unbeaten run come to an end
Leverkusen's 51-game unbeaten run this season across all competitions ended. They had claimed 42 wins and nine draws before the defeat to Atalanta. Bundesliga champions Leverkusen's dreams of winning a Treble ended. They can however complete a domestic double by winning the DFB-Pokal. Leverkusen played their second UEFA Cup/Europa League final. Before this, they reached the final in 1988 and won the trophy.
Massive records made by Lookman with his hat-trick
As per Opta, Lookman is the second player to score a hat-trick in the final of a major European competition for an Italian side, after Pierino Prati for AC Milan against Ajax in the 1969 European Cup. Lookman netted the sixth hat-trick in the final of a major UEFA competition. It's the first since Jupp Heynckes' for Borussia Mönchengladbach in the 1975 UEFA Cup.
Lookman's Europa League season in numbers
Lookman clocked five goals and one assist from 11 matches in the Europa League 2023-24 season. As per Opta, Lookman managed 15 shots (exclusing blocks) with nine of them on target. Three of his five goals were from inside the box. His pass accuracy was 77.03%. Lookman crated 12 chances in addition to completing 16 take-ons. He had 57 touches in the opposition box.
Aubameyang scored the most goals
Marseille's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the most goals this season (10). He also made three assists. Aubameyang (34) broke Radamel Falcao's all-time Europa League goal-scoring record (30) during the campaign. AS Roma's Romelu Lukaku managed seven goals (second-highest). Marseille duo Jonathan Clauss and Amine Harit clocked six assists each (joint-highest). Aubameynag had the most shots on target (16)
Leverkusen clocked most goals and wins
Leverkusen ended the season as the competition's top scorers with 31 goals. Liverpool were second with 29 goals. Marseille (27) and Atalanta (25) followed suit. Leverkusen maintained a 100% record (W6) in the group stage. As per the UEL official site, Leverkusen became only the 12th side to come through the group stage with a 100% record. Leverkusen secured nine wins this season (highest).
Five players scored hat-tricks this season
The Europa League 2023-24 season saw five players recorded hat-tricks. Vincenzo Grifo (TSC 1-3 Freiburg), Michael Gregoritsch (Freiburg 5-0 Olympiacos), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Marseille 4-3 Ajax), Benjamin Bourigeaud (Rennes 3-2 Milan) and Lookman (Atalanta 3-0 Leverkusen). Lookman's treble was the sixth hat-trick to be scored in the final of a major UEFA club competition and the first since Jupp Heynckes (three for Mönchengladbach against Twente).
Key teams stats on offer
A total of 439 goals were scored in this season's Europa League. Leverkusen scored later than the 88th minute in five of their seven knockout matches. The German side clocked the most attempts (244) and had the most shots on target (87). Leverkusen registered the most assists (26). Atalanta made the most recoveries (629). Atalanta kept the most clean sheets (6).
