Bayer Leverkusen have been an unstoppable force this season and the Bundesliga champions will be looking to maintain that record as they face Atalanta in the Europa League final on Wednesday.
The Germans will be playing in a European final for the first time since finishing runners-up to Real Madrid in the 2002 Champions League final and will be desperate to break their record two defeats to their Italian rivals.
Atalanta defeated the Germans in both legs of their 2022 Europa League last 16 tie and Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso understands his side cannot afford the kind of lapses in concentration that cost them dearly two years ago.
However, with Leverkusen entering the final at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on the back of a formidable 51-game unbeaten run in all competitions, Alonso is confident his players will be better prepared for the challenge ahead as they look to win the second title of a possible treble this season.
“For the past five years, Atalanta has always relied on its ideas.
“They know what they want and they are successful in Italy and Europe,” Alonso, whose side will also play in the German Cup final against Kaiserslautern on Saturday, told reporters.
“But we had a lot of games in Germany against teams that play similarly.
“Tomorrow will require tactics, intelligence and mentality.
“We have to make the most of the space intelligently.
And we also have to decide what tempo to play in which areas of the game.”
Leverkusen ended Bayern Munich’s 11-year stranglehold on Germany this season and their unbeaten run earned them the nickname ‘Neverlusen’.
However, Alonso insists the record has not changed their outlook for the final.
“When you go to the final you don’t go there to make up the numbers, you go to win it.
“We will try to make one last effort,” Alonso said.
“We will prepare as we did for all the games before. We haven’t lost in 51 games, so my boys know how to adapt to different situations.
“This also applies to the final.
“From the start of the campaign, we believed in our own football and that has been right at the heart of this successful run.”
Alonso also praised his Italian rivals, who have just one chance to win a trophy this season after losing the Coppa Italia to Juventus last week.
They are currently in fifth place in Serie A, which Inter have already won.
“They have a great coach (Gian Piero Gasperini) and great players like Gianluca Scamacca and Charles De Ketelaere.
“It’s an honor for me to be able to play against such a great team here tomorrow.”