Xabi Alonso is hopeful that his Bayer Leverkusen side can make more history in their Europa League final against Atalanta on Wednesday. (More Football News)
Leverkusen became the first side in Bundesliga history to go unbeaten in a single season on their way to the top-flight title, and across all competitions, they have𝓰 not lost any of their last 51 matches.
Now, they have the opportunity to complete an unbeaten treble if they can get past Atalanta befor🐼e taking on Kaise♈rslautern in the DFB-Pokal on Saturday.
Only three sides have previously won the competition without losing a game – Chelsea in 2018-1ꦗ9, Villarreal in 2020-21 and Eintracht Frankfurt in 2021-22, with Leverkusen looking to be added to that list.
Alonso is taking charge of his first European final as a manager and highꦆlights the ambition the club&n꧂bsp;have to do something significant.
"It would mean a lot, a lot to me [to win a European trophy🧸]," he told UEFA. "To be able to share it with the people from the club, with the ๊fans.
"You see what it meant when we won the Bundesliga. To be able to win a Eur🐓opean title after so many years since we won [the UEFA Cup inꩲ 1988] would be historic, and we want to do that, to have a historic season.
"It would be something written in g🔥olden letters, not only in the history of our club but probably all European football. I hope we can."
Like his counterpart, Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini is al🔥so taking charge of ♋a European final for the first time in his career.
The Italian side clinched a top-five finish in Serie A with♛ their win꧟ over Lecce on Saturday and are looking to win their first major trophy in 61 years.
Looking back on the season, Gasperini says he is proud of the work his side have done to make it through to the cl🅷ub's first European final.
"It feels good," Gasperini sai✃d. "It's a great ach𝄹ievement and source of satisfaction, achieved with a really good season from this whole team.
"Is it the highest point of my career? Yes, in terms of accomplishment and prestige, absolutely. In 🐽terms of gratification, fortunately, I've had quite a few,🍃 although perhaps not on the same level.
"This team always wanted it. Sometimes, you get teams who are good tec꧒hnically but lacking in determin🌱ation and hunger.
"From the start, from the group stage, since we played in Lisbon, in a group where we were not the favourites – Sporting [CP] were the fav൲ourites – we played great matches against strong opponents. Of course, winning at Anfield boosted our confidence even more."
