The second-biggest cup competition in Europe, the UEFA Europa League, will have a grand coronation ceremony on Wednesday (May 22), with Atalanta and Bayer Leverkusen meeting in a mouth-watering final. Here is all you need to know about the celebration of soccer this week:
UEFA Europa League Final: Atalanta vs Bayer Leverkusen: Where To Watch In US
Serie A dynamite Atalanta will meet unbeaten Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Europa League final at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on Wednesday night. The game will kick off at 8:00 PM local time / 3 PM ET / 12 PM PT.
Fans in the United States can watch the game live on streaming giant Paramount+.
UEFA Europa League Final: Preview
Form
Atalanta will be eyeing their first major silverware since the 1963 Coppa Italia when they square off against Xabi Alonso’s unstoppable Leverkusen. Unlike their German rivals, Gian Piero Gasperini’s side have not been flawless this season, suffering 10 losses in 36 Serie A games so far. However, their recent league form has been mighty impressive.
Fifth-placed Atalanta have won their last five games in the Italian top flight, with their latest success coming against Lecce last weekend. They also gave Juventus a run for their money in the Coppa Italia final but ultimately succumbed to a 1-0 defeat.
Bayer Leverkusen, meanwhile, are two wins — the other match being the DFB Pokal final — away from sealing an unprecedented unbeaten European Treble. On Saturday (May 18), Leverkusen became the first unbeaten winners in Bundesliga history, beating second-placed Bayern Munich by 17 points. They won 28 of their 34 Bundesliga games in 2023-24, dropping points in only six games.
Team News
Atalanta will likely be without their vice-captain Marten de Roon (thigh injury) for arguably the biggest game in their history. Ex-Arsenal man Sead Kolasinac is also a minor doubt for the game.
Alonso and Co. were sweating over Florian Wirtz’s fitness leading up to the final, as the brilliant midfielder had only clocked 27 minutes in the last three Bundesliga matches. However, in the pre-final press conference, Alonso confirmed that Wirtz was fit and would feature in Wednesday’s clash.
Road So Far
Atalanta survived a group featuring Sporting CP, Rakow Czestochowa, and SK Sturm Graz, setting up a Round-of-16 double feature against Sporting. In the quarter-finals, Atalanta faced Europa League favorites Liverpool in a tie no one expected them to win. However, against all odds, Atalanta prevailed, sealing a famous 3-0 win at Anfield before losing only 1-0 at home in the return leg. Finally, in the semi-finals, they overcame French outfit Marseille, claiming a 4-1 aggregate win.
Leverkusen, on the other hand, were in Group H alognside Qarabag FK, Molde, and Hacken. The Germans won all six of their matches to march into the Round of 16. They faced Qarabag in the first knockout round and claimed a slender 5-4 aggregate victory. In the quarter-finals, they claimed a 3-1 aggregate win over West Ham United before breezing past AS Roma in the semi-finals, sealing a 4-2 aggregate victory.
UEFA Europa League Final: Prediction
Atalanta have shown they have what it takes to make any team suffer. Unfortunately for them, Bayer Leverkusen are not afraid of a little punishment. Alonso has taught his boys how to suffer and come out swinging, and we are predicting the same will happen in the UEFA Europa League final. We expect Atalanta to strike first but Leverkusen to take home the silverware.
Our Prediction: Atalanta 1-3 Bayer Leverkusen.
