2024-05-23 11:39:26
Bayer Leverkusen can proceed to make historical past. On Wednesday, the brand new German champions will likely be aiming for his or her second title this season – out of three potential.
Virtually precisely 36 years in the past to the day, Bayer Leverkusen achieved an excellent success in Europe: within the closing of the then UEFA Cup (now the Europa League) in 1988, Espanyol Barcelona got here up brief within the return leg. Till final weekend, it was the largest title win within the membership’s historical past. Now changed by reaching the primary German championship.
It ought to solely be the primary of three potential titles this season. As a result of Leverkusen needs to win the triple.
The temper earlier than the massive closing towards Atalanta Bergamo (9 p.m. RTL and within the stay ticker on t-online)? Solved. Bayer coach Xabi Alonso is in temper. Pressure does not appear to be a difficulty. “The group is prepared for what’s to return,” says the Spaniard dryly. Midfield strategist Granit Xhaka, who sits two chairs to the best of Alonso on the closing press convention on Tuesday night, provides: “Finals are for profitable.”
Then he is the Swiss man who will get amusing. “We drink blood each morning. We do not even really feel it anymore,” he says. What precisely does he imply by that? It’s supposed to elucidate the key of the group’s success, which has now been unbeaten for an unbelievable 51 video games. Nervous earlier than this necessary recreation? None.
Irrespective of how typically Xabi Alonso modified his group, irrespective of how lengthy the additional time was – Leverkusen did not let something or anybody unsettle all of them season. They have been all the time there: centered and with the need to make the unimaginable potential.
“The numbers converse for themselves. We all know in regards to the nice outcomes that they’ve achieved, which they fully deserve,” stated Bergamo’s coach Gian Piero Gasperini on Tuesday. However, Gasperini is in fact properly conscious that the Italians are thought-about to be a particularly disagreeable opponent, having eradicated Liverpool FC and Olympique Marseille, amongst others, within the present competitors. As well as, Bergamo received each video games towards Bayer within the spherical of 16 two years in the past.
For Xabi Alonso, the Lombards are “one of many hardest opponents in Europe. They’ve an excellent mentality and a coach who is aware of what he needs.” However he then goes again to his group’s strengths: “They’ve proven all through the season that they’re made for video games like this. All of us have self-confidence and our mentality is just sturdy sufficient that we will say that : ‘Sure, we will do it!'”
12,000 Bayer followers are coming to Eire
The championship was the primary blow – the second is to observe on Wednesday night in Dublin. 12,000 Bayer followers traveled to Eire to help their group, earlier than the bulk most likely journey on to Berlin, the place the DFB Cup closing towards 1. FC Kaiserlautern is scheduled for Saturday. There are nonetheless two video games left till Leverkusen’s immortality.
“Aim primary was the championship title. Aim quantity two is the Europa League closing. We’ll push ourselves to the restrict and do all the things we will to deliver the UEFA Cup to Leverkusen for a second time,” stated Granit Xhaka, determinedly. And as he says it like that, you imagine him.