Atalanta secured their place in the Europa League in a more than creditable fifth spot with a Teun Koopmeiners hat-trick, including an extraordinary lob from midfield, in a thriller with Monza.
La Dea went into the final game in fifth place, needing a win to be sure of Europa League qualification rather than the Conference League, while Monza were hoping to finish ninth in their first ever top flight campaign. The injury list included Jose Luis Palomino, Duvan Zapata, Jeremie Boga, Brandon Soppy, Hans Hateboer and Matteo Ruggeri.
Teun Koopmeiners fired over after a Mattia Caldirola error in the opening minutes and Mattia Colpani tested the goalkeeper, but Koopmeiners broke the deadlock with his header at the back post on a Joakim Maehle cross from the left.
Andrea Colpani came close for Monza, his shot beaten away by Marco Sportiello, then Carlos Augusto blasted the rebound over from a promising position.
Davide Zappacosta’s scorcher flashed wide, but Koopmeiners completed his brace in first half stoppages after a quick give and go with Mario Pasalic and scored at the second time of asking after the initial Michele Di Gregorio save.
Dany Mota Carvalho hit a terrible fresh-air shot and Rasmus Hojlund tested Di Gregorio, but Colpani got Monza on the scoresheet after a lovely team move finalised by the left-foot sweep into the far top corner from distance.
There was a VAR review when the ball struck Carlos Augusto on the arm, but it was only because the Atalanta player in front of him missed the header and he was in a natural position, so the referee opted to stick with his original decision.
Marlon was only on the field for a few minutes when the Monza man was sent off for an entirely pointless slap on the back of Koopmeiners as they tussled for position in midfield. He foolishly did it right in front of the referee, who showed a straight red card.
Moments later, Koopmeiners got down the left and rolled across for Hojlund to tap in from six yards.
It really was the night for Koopmeiners, who was down the left and looked as if he was going to cross, but instead saw Di Gregorio off his line and managed an extraordinary lob from an acute angle almost in midfield.
Monza would not give in and Andrea Petagna turned a defender on the edge of the box for the dinked finish.
Luis Muriel came off the bench and added a fifth with the precise bend into the near bottom corner around the goalkeeper’s glove.
Atalanta 5-2 Monza
Koopmeiners 12, 45, 79 (A), Colpani 50 (M), Hojlund 74 (A), Petagna 81 (M), Muriel 92 (A)
Sent off: Marlon 70 (M)
Player statistic
| Teun Koopmeiners (Assist: Joakim Maehle) |
 |
12' | ||
| 33' |  |
Nicolò Rovella | ||
| Teun Koopmeiners | |
45+1' |
| 51' | |
Andrea Colpani (Assist: Dany Mota) | ||
| 63' | |
Armando Izzo | ||
| Rafael Tolói | |
64' | ||
| 71' |  |
Marlon | ||
| Rasmus Höjlund (Assist: Teun Koopmeiners) |
|
74' | ||
| Teun Koopmeiners (Assist: Joakim Maehle) |
|
79' | ||
| 81' | |
Andrea Petagna (Assist: Nicolò Rovella) | ||
| Luis Muriel (Assist: Ademola Lookman) |
|
90+3' |
Match statistic
