Europa League Final Set to Electrify Dublin’s Aviva Stadium

Europa League stakes for Wednesday’s final at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium are exceptionally high. For Bayer Leverkusen, it’s a chance to secure the second part of a potential treble and edge closer to an unprecedented unbeaten season. Conversely, for Atalanta, it’s an opportunity to claim major silverware for the first time since 1963.

Under the leadership of Xabi Alonso, Leverkusen has captured global attention with their 51-game unbeaten streak across all competitions, culminating in their first-ever Bundesliga title. Previously, the club had only won the 1988 UEFA Cup and the 1993 German Cup. Alonso, in his debut full season as a senior manager, emphasized the importance of preparation: “Our focus is preparing the game, not [as] a special game. We haven’t changed anything. We have played 51 games.

The players have understanding. Now is the time to give our best. We have been preparing for this moment through the whole year. It’s not just today’s job. I have a great team. The players are ready for sure. I have a good feeling it will not be different. We will respect Atalanta but we have confidence in our game.” Notably, both finalists ended British hopes in the Europa League quarter-finals with Leverkusen defeating West Ham and Atalanta stunning Liverpool.

Atalanta’s coach, Gian Piero Gasperini, whose team will be missing captain Marten de Roon due to injury, remarked, “I think we are in the best possible condition in a psychological and physical sense. Leverkusen are a complete team, extremely organised. They are versatile, they can defend and recover the ball well. The results they have achieved this season are not an accident. We have to respect them and try to adapt quickly to the opponents we are facing.”

Moreover, Alonso has a personal connection to Ireland, having spent a summer in Kells, County Meath, learning English as a teenager. Reflecting on his time there, he said, “At that moment it was not in the plans what I would be. I enjoyed my summer here. It’s always great to come back. I always feel that connection. In my Liverpool years the connection with Ireland is strong.”

Leverkusen’s Remarkable Season

Bayer Leverkusen is on the brink of an unprecedented achievement: an unbeaten season in European competition. This year, they clinched their first German title without losing a single game, a feat no team had previously accomplished in the Bundesliga. The club, once nicknamed “Neverkusen” for its numerous near-misses, has transformed under Alonso’s guidance since his arrival in October 2022.

Leverkusen’s resilience is notable, with ten equalisers or winners scored in the 90th minute or injury time this year, including crucial goals in their Europa League semi-final against Roma. Should they triumph over Atalanta, they will face another challenge in the German Cup final against second-tier Kaiserslautern on Saturday.

Atalanta’s Special Season

Atalanta, much like Leverkusen, has a modest trophy cabinet and a transformative manager. The Bergamo club, in its 116th year, has won only the 1963 Coppa Italia. Often a yo-yo team, they oscillated between Serie A and Serie B throughout the 1990s and 2000s. Gasperini has turned them into a competitive force since 2016, securing six European campaigns in his eight-year tenure. This final marks their first European final, with Gasperini aiming to lead them to victory despite past losses in the Coppa Italia finals of 2019, 2021, and last week against Juventus.

British Interest and Future Matches

Many expected Jurgen Klopp’s potential farewell as Liverpool manager to coincide with this final, but Atalanta’s quarter-final win changed those plans. West Ham also fell to Leverkusen in the quarter-finals, while Brighton was eliminated by Roma in the last 16. Each team features a London-born player representing Nigeria internationally: Ademola Lookman for Atalanta and Nathan Tella for Leverkusen.

After the final in Dublin, both teams have further matches. Leverkusen, pursuing a treble, faces Kaiserslautern in the German Cup final. Meanwhile, Atalanta has two Serie A games remaining, against Torino and Fiorentina, needing just one point to secure a Champions League spot. The Fiorentina game, rescheduled due to the death of Fiorentina director Joe Barone will take place after the season officially ends.