Atalanta-Bayer Leverkusen, Europa League final: probabilities and where to see it

Dublin, 21 May 2024 - The time has come to try to make history, of your own but also of all of Italian football. Never has a Serie A team won l'Europa League since when has it been called that and the last triumph remains that, in the then UEFA Cup, of Parma di Malaysians against Marseille back in 1999 at the Luzniki stadium in Moscow. Two or three football eras have passed and for Italy it is time to dispel the taboo. He'll try Atalanta by Gian Piero Gasperini who finds himself facing the German champions Bayer Leverkusen of Xabi Alonso, who carry with them the unbeaten streak of the season with 51 games without defeat. It will take a feat for the Goddess. But the habit is there after the great ride at Anfield against the Liverpool, which effectively projected the Nerazzurri into the Olympus of European football. Leverkusen reached the final after eliminating Roma, but with risks. In fact, the Giallorossi remained in the fight until the 90th minute, overcoming the defeat at the Olimpico in Germany, but even in that case, as has often happened this season, the Germans saved themselves in the Cesarini area and avoided a defeat that seemed certain to interrupt the streak. Atalanta will be able to stop Bayer in the last act of the second Euro competition pee?

 Probable lineups

Some problems for Gasperini who is without Holm and De Roon, injured, but Kolasinac recovers, fundamental in the defensive balance. And then room for the 3-4-2-1 with Djimisiti, Hien and Kolasinac in front of Musso, in the middle the physicality and technique of Ederson as the pivot together with Pasalic, while Zappacosta and Ruggeri will be the wingers. Up front, all the talent possible with Koopmeiners and De Ketealere supporting Scamacca. There are no absences in Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen who should deploy the 3-4-3 with Tapsoba, Tah and Hincapie in defense in front of goalkeeper Kovar, then Stanisic, Andrich, Xhaka and Grimaldo in midfield, while in attack there is room for the Frimpong trident, Wirtz and Adli.

Atalanta (3-4-2-1): Musso, Djimsiti, Hien, Kolasinac; Zappacosta, Pasalic, Ederson, Ruggeri; Koopemeiners, De Ketealere; Scamacca. All. Gasperini.

Bayer Leverkusen (3-4-3): Kovar; Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie; Stanisic, Andrich, Xhaka, Grimaldo; Frimpong, Wirtz, Adli. Coach Xabi Alonso.

Statistics and precedents

Il Leverkusen goes in search of the treble to erase the trio of second places in 2002. At the time the Germans finished second in the league, in the Champions League, defeat against Real Madrid, and in the German Cup. The first piece was put in place with the success in the Bundesliga and we are looking for the second with the Europa League final against Atalanta, while the third would possibly be in the German Cup on May 25 against Kaiserslautern. The Germans remain unbeaten in the season having found a draw at the end of time in the semi-final return match against Roma, the final 2-2, subsequently scoring their 50th and 51st unbeaten matches of the year. Atalanta is instead looking for its first historic European trophy and the one against Leverkusen will be the twelfth match against German teams. There is a precedent between the two teams and it dates back to 2021/2022 in the round of 0 of the Europa League with the double success of the Dea, 1-3 in Germany, Boga, and 2-3 in Bergamo (Aranguiz, Diaby, Malinovskyi and double Muriel ). In general, Atalanta's record against Bundesliga teams is 3 wins, 4 draws and 1990 defeats. There were two matches against Cologne in 1 in the round of 0 of the UEFA Cup with a 1-1 victory in Bergamo and a 2017-2018 draw on German soil, then two matches against Borussia Dortmund in 1/1 in the Europa League with a draw 3 -2 at home and the 1978-1 defeat in Dortmund, two precedents with Bochum in 2 in the Intertoto Cup (two defeats, 3-1 in Bergamo and 2021-2022 in Bochum), finally the elimination at the hands of Leipzig in the quarter-finals of the 0/2 Europa League with a 1-1 defeat at home and a XNUMX-XNUMX draw in Germany

The words of the technicians

Gasperini aim for the big target. A trophy would be the icing on the cake on a fantastic eight-year run, which has already been sumptuous as it is but a European cup would seal it in history. Gian Piero Gasperini, Atalanta coach: "The final will be a historic event. For teams like ours it is truly incredible, but it is a good omen for everyone. It is a historic achievement for us: we also celebrated after Liverpool, after Sporting, rightly so. But we know well that it's not over. Now we still have several important games to play and we will have time to think about Leverkusen."

The Germans are aiming for the treble and maintaining their unbeaten record. Two finals in a few days for Bayer who after Atalanta, on Wednesday 22 May, will face Kaiserslautern on 25 May in the German Cup final. Xabi Alonso, Leverkusen coach, spoke to the official UEFA channels as follows: "We are happy to be in the final. We will play two finals in one week. We showed great character in the semi-final against Roma. Afterwards I looked at my players in the eyes and I saw that they wanted more. We still have the chance to win three titles and my boys deserve all three."

Where to see it on TV

The Europa League final will be played on Wednesday 22 May at Aviva stadium in Dublin with kick-off at 21pm. Double live television coverage planned. Live free on Rai Uno and paid on channels Sky Sports, in particular Sky Sport 1, 201, and Sky Sport 4 K and Sky Sport 251. Streaming on Dazn, Now TV, Sky Go and Rai Play. As for the commentators, Rai will rely on Rimedio-Di Gennaro, Dazn on Buscaglia-Marcolin and Sky on Marinozzi-Bergomi. Appointment with history for the Dea and for Italian football, which last year lost three finals out of three and this season has two more between Dea in the Europa League and Fiorentina in the Conference League. Serie A on the shields.

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