Bundesliga champions, Bayer Leverkusen, using a 51-game unbeaten streak, will face Atalanta in Wednesday’s Europa League ultimate in Dublin.
Xabi Alonso’s males goal to safe the second leg of a historic treble, whereas Serie A aspect Atalanta search their first-ever European trophy.
Once derisively known as “Neverkusen” after ending runners-up within the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and Champions League in 2001-02, Bayer Leverkusen have rewritten their legacy this season in spectacular style.
When Alonso took over lower than two years in the past, Die Werkself had been languishing within the backside half of the desk.
Now, they’ve surged to the highest, finishing an “invincible” 34-game Bundesliga marketing campaign with a victory over Augsburg final week.
Leverkusen, beforehand five-time Bundesliga runners-up, ended Bayern Munich’s 11-year dominance by ending with 90 factors and at last claiming the Meisterschale.
Under Spanish younger coach, Alonso, Leverkusen have been an attacking powerhouse, scoring 135 targets in all competitions whereas conceding solely 39.
Yet, the Rhine membership can nonetheless add extra to this historic season.
Having already secured the Bundesliga title, Leverkusen now eye their second European trophy for the reason that 1988 UEFA Cup.
Success in Dublin would set them up for a possible treble, with the DFB-Pokal ultimate in opposition to Kaiserslautern simply three days later.
Renowned for his or her resilience and skill to attain essential late targets, Die Werkself’s Europa League journey has been marked by a never-say-die spirit, saving their continental journey from early exits.
Trailing Qarabag 2-0 in each last-16 legs, Leverkusen fought again to progress, earlier than beautiful semifinal opponents Roma with a dramatic 97th-minute strike from Josip Stanisic to seal their comeback.
In the quarterfinals, Leverkusen overcame reigning Conference League champions West Ham United.
They had beforehand cruised via the group stage with a flawless six wins from six, setting them as much as probably grow to be simply the fourth group to carry the trophy unbeaten.
Atalanta’s final conflict with Leverkusen was within the 2021-22 Europa League, the place they received 3-2 at house however misplaced by a single purpose in Germany.
However, the stakes might be far increased on Wednesday night.
After seeing off Marseille within the semis, topping Group D, and eliminating each new Portuguese champions Sporting and Premier League giants Liverpool, La Dea dream of claiming glory of their first-ever European ultimate.
Now the eleventh totally different Italian group to succeed in a continental ultimate, Atalanta may grow to be the primary Serie A aspect to win the Europa League if they will keep away from stumbling on the final hurdle.
Under the steerage of revered coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who arrived in Lombardy eight years in the past, Atalanta have been reworked into regulars on the European stage, as soon as reaching a powerful run of three consecutive Champions League {qualifications}.
Despite this success, the 66-year-old tactician has but to carry any silverware.
His group just lately misplaced the Coppa Italia ultimate to Juventus for the second time in 4 years, marking his third general defeat within the cup’s Rome finale.
Gasperini will stroll out in Dublin because the oldest supervisor to take cost of his first European ultimate, whereas relative newcomer Xabi Alonso is the youngest coach to steer a UEFA finalist since 2012.
While solely Serie A champions Inter Milan have posted the next purpose fee through the second half of the season, Atalanta have been extra cautious in continental competitors, dealing with solely 2.8 photographs on the right track per sport within the Europa League thus far – the bottom ratio of any aspect to take part.
La Dea stored one other clear sheet final weekend, following a vital victory over Roma with a 2-0 win in opposition to Lecce.
Forward pair Charles De Ketelaere and Gianluca Scamacca had been on the right track at Via del Mare, securing each a top-five end and a coveted Champions League return.
Already a beloved determine in Bergamo, if ‘Gasp’ can shake off the tag of nearly-man and assist Atalanta win their first main trophy since 1963 – beating the sensible Leverkusen on the way in which – it will cement his standing as an all-time nice amongst Nerazzurri followers.
Xabi Alonso has the posh of choosing from his fully-fit Bundesliga-winning squad for the ultimate.
For Atalanta, the attacking trio of Charles De Ketelaere, Ademola Lookman, and Teun Koopmeiners pose important threats, however the principle striker position in Dublin will doubtless go to Gianluca Scamacca.
However, the Serie A outfit faces some harm issues.
Emil Holm is out with a calf harm, and skilled skipper Marten De Roon will miss the match as a result of a thigh pressure from the Coppa Italia ultimate.
Club captain Rafael Toloi and defender Sead Kolasinac are each uncertain.
Source: www.dailysabah.com