Bayer Leverkusen of Germany will crown its exceptional and historic season with the title of champion of the European League “Europa League” in football when it meets Italian Atalanta on Wednesday (23:00 UAE time) in Dublin in the final match.
Bayer Leverkusen, under the leadership of its Spanish coach, Xabi Alonso, has imposed itself strongly on various fronts so far this season, as it has not lost in 51 matches in various competitions and was crowned champion of the German League for the first time in its history and without any loss for the first time in the history of the Bundesliga as well, and is now on top. On the verge of achieving a historic hat-trick by competing in the final of the second continental competition against Atalanta and the final of the local cup competition against Kaiserslautern next Saturday.
On the other hand, Atalanta Bergamo is seeking to win the first continental title in its history and the second after the local cup in 1963, and to compensate for its loss in the cup final to Juventus last Wednesday.
From “Neverkusen” to “Neverlausen”
Alonso, who is accustomed to winning titles, took over the leadership of Bayer Leverkusen in October 2022, when it was then achieving negative results, and changed his club from its nickname, “Neverkusen”, meaning the team that never wins, to “Neverlozen”, meaning the team that never loses.
The former Real Madrid, Liverpool and Bayern Munich defensive midfielder said before the last league match against Augsburg, “The goal was to reach the Champions League, but beyond that, it was to play good football and build a good team with good players. I will not say now: “Of course we wanted to win the Bundesliga!” It wasn’t realistic in August, but after our first two or three matches in the Bundesliga, I had a feeling that we could have a good season.”
He expressed his hope to achieve more, “We have the opportunity to do more and have a historic season.”
Alonso rested some of his key players on Saturday against Augsburg, and his players will arrive in Dublin with confidence and at the peak of their level.
The situation is different for Atalanta Bergamo, despite their exceptional season as well.
By defeating Lecce (2-0) on Saturday in the penultimate thirty-seventh stage, the team of Gian Piero Gasperini, its coach since 2016, ensured that it would occupy at least fifth place in the Italian First Division and qualify for the next European Champions League for the third time in its history.
Gasperini said after the match, “Qualifying for the Champions League has been our goal since the beginning of the year. It is a great achievement. We will reach Dublin with confidence,” admitting that his team achieved the most important thing after a marathon of 14 matches since the third of last April.
He added, “We need to regain our physical fitness, but also our morale,” explaining, “Our last ten matches can be considered decisive matches, and the most difficult thing to regain is mental energy.”
A new season without titles
Atalanta Bergamo seems to be in dire need of that. After losing the final match of the Italian Cup to Juventus (0-1) last Wednesday, the club is still searching for the second title in its history, 61 years after the only title it won, the Italian Cup in 1963.
Despite its exceptional career in the tournament and in the European League, where it eliminated Sporting of Portugal, Liverpool of England, which was the most prominent candidate to win the competition title, and Marseille of France, Atalanta can finish it without a cup to add to its modest trophy cabinet.
Leverkusen does not care because his various successes this season have made him completely insatiable.
“To say that only one of these titles interests me, that would not be the truth,” Alonso said when asked which club accolade seemed most important to him.
He concluded, “The opportunity is very great.” His club can still win it all, while Gasperini’s side, for their part, can lose it all.
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