Teun Koopmeiners fired Atalanta back into European competition after a one-year absence with a hat-trick against Monza on the last day of the 2022/23 Serie A campaign and became our Player of the Week for Matchday 38.
La Dea finished the season with an impressive 5-2 win over Monza at the Gewiss Stadium on Sunday night and the Dutchman even added an assist for Rasmus Hojlund to his three-goal display in Bergamo, as they beat AS Roma to 5th place and a guaranteed place in the Europa League group stages.
Clinical Koopmeiners
The 25-year-old sent Atalanta on their way to victory in unfamiliar fashion on 12 minutes, rising to meet a Joakim Maehle cross and heading home the opener. He then doubled their lead in first-half stoppage time by exchanging passes with Maehle again, and following up to turn in his poorly saved effort on the rebound with his right foot.
Monza responded after the break through Andrea Colpani, but Koopmeiners drove into the Biancorossi box and delivered a low cross which Hojlund turned in from close range, and moments later unleashed a dipping shot over the visitors’ goalkeeper from just inside his own half by the left touchline.
Completing a perfect hat-trick – scoring with both feet and his head – in stunning style, the former AZ Alkmaar attacking midfielder also reached double figures for the first time in Serie A.
Muriel confirms super-sub status
After Andrea Petagna had scored a second consolation goal for Monza, Atalanta completed the scoring in injury time when substitute Luis Muriel was sent through on goal and placed a carefully taken effort around the helpless Michele Di Gregorio.
The goal ensured that the Colombian overtook former Juventus frontman Alessandro Matri as the player who has found the net the most times since coming off the bench in the era of three points for a win. The no.9 has now found the net an impressive 26 times in Serie A coming on as a substitute.
