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The first of the UEFA competition finals this season takes place on Wednesday as Atalanta face Bayer Leverkusen for European silverware at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Wednesday 22nd May, 2024 - UK – 20:00 / US EST – 15:00 / US PST – 13:00
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: This match will be shown live on TNT Sports in the UK. / This match will be shown live on CBS in the US.
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: This match can be streamed live via the TNT Sports app and also via Discovery+ in the UK. / This match can be streamed live via Paramount+, UniMas, Fubo, DirecTV Stream and ViX in the US.
ATALANTA PREVIEW: THE FAIRYTALE OF BERGAMO
It has been an utterly magnificent season for Gian Piero Gasperini and Atalanta. The Bergamasci have secured a top five spot and UEFA Champions League qualification already in Serie A, despite having a game-in-hand to play, and they also reached the final of the Coppa Italia, losing narrowly to Juventus last week after a fourth minute strike from Dusan Vlahovic.
Atalanta have enjoyed some famous nights in Europe, too, though, and quite possibly more importantly. Their 3-0 victory at Anfield against six-time European champions Liverpool in the quarter-finals was backed up by a 4-1 hammering of Marseille in the semis. Now they head to Ireland looking to spoil the Bayer Leverkusen party.
BAYER LEVERKUSEN PREVIEW: HISTORY MAKERS
What can you say about Bayer Leverkusen other than simply listing facts and stats. Xabi Alonso’s Bundesliga champions had their first ever German league title wrapped up by mid-April and they went on to finish the 34-game season unbeaten after defeating Augsburg by two goals to one at the weekend.
The story of their European campaign has been about famous comebacks, too, with dramatic equalisers and winners against Qarabag, West Ham United and Roma on their way to this showpiece event. With second-tier Kaiserslautern to come in the DFB-Pokal final at the weekend, this could be the night Leverkusen, perhaps already there, really do enter the pantheon of football’s great sides.
ATALANTA TEAM NEWS: KEY MAN IN, KEY MAN OUT
Gianluca Scamacca missed the aforementioned Coppa Italia final against Juventus but the Italy international is back fit for this week. Atalanta will, though, be without key midfielder Marten de Roon, who is nursing a thigh injury.
PREDICTED XI (3-4-2-1): Musso; Djimsiti, Hien, Scalvini; Zappacosta, Koopmeiners, Ederson, Ruggeri; De Ketalaere, Lookman; Scamacca
UNAVAILABLE: Holm (Injured), De Roon (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: Toloi (Injured), Kolasinac (Injured)
BAYER LEVERKUSEN TEAM NEWS: CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH
Xabi Alonso has had a couple of concerns each week throughout the campaign but the former Liverpool midfielder is blessed with his squad fully fit and available for the trip to Dublin for what is the next step on the way to history.
PREDICTED XI (3-4-2-1): Kovar; Tapsoba, Tah, Piero Hincapie; Frimpong, Andrich, Xhaka, Alex Grimaldo; Hofmann, Wirtz; Schick
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE:
KEY STATS
ATALANTA VS BAYER LEVERKUSEN PREDICTION
In 51 matches across all competitions so far this season, Bayer Leverkusen have managed 42 victories with just nine draws and they have scored 143 goals in the process. It is so nearly the perfect season and they can add two trophies to their Bundesliga title by the end of the week. Atalanta have also enjoyed their own remarkable campaign but Gian Piero Gasperini’s men have begun to look quite tired, naturally, and a Leverkusen team that just does not know when they are beaten is perhaps not the ideal opposition to face. Atalanta’s season should be remembered but the similarities with Fiorentina being runners’ up in both the cup and a European final last season appear likely to continue. Leverkusen to win inside the match inside the 90 minutes is the bet for this one.
ATALANTA VS BAYER LEVERKUSEN TIP: BAYER LEVERKUSEN TO WIN