Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso was full of praise for Atalanta on Tuesday evening, suggesting that when you feel you know what to expect from La Dea, they continue to evolve.
Alonso sat down for his pre-match press conference ahead of Wednesday evening’s Europa League final between Atalanda and Bayer Leverkusen at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Kick-off is set for 20.00 BST.
Alonso and his team are yet to taste defeat in any competition this year, but he still has two more cup finals left to play, beginning with the clash against Gian Piero Gasperini’s side on Wednesday.
Europa League final: Alonso pre-match assessment
“We know that Atalanta have had a very well defined idea of how to play in recent years,” Alonso told the press.
“The players know what they have to do on the pitch, and they have gone on to achieve great things. We think we know what to expect from them, but they continue to evolve.
“Every now and then it looks like they have a wait-and-see approach, not always aggressive. We have also faced teams like this in Germany. Tomorrow we need a united performance and a strong team mentality.
“We have a plan, and the players are still buzzing from the atmosphere we experienced on Saturday in Leverkusen.”
The former Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich midfielder was asked if he has any particular pre-match rituals that have helped him on his way to success this year.
He replied: “My focus is on preparing for the match, not on any other special things. We have played 51 matches and analysed absolutely everything. The players understand every possible situation. It’s as if the work has already been done, now it’s time to give my all in these next two matches.”
Leverkusen were on the cusp of reaching the Europa League final last season, however they were defeated 1-0 on aggregate by Jose Mourinho’s Roma over two legs of the semi-final.
“We certainly have a lot of motivation. We have already talked about last year’s disappointment,” Alonso added. “We were very close to the final and we capitalised on that disappointment to fight even harder for our success this year. If you get to a final, you go there to win.
“I’m still in the early days of my coaching career, let’s see what happens. Amazing things have happened in the last year and a half, we have made lots of good decisions in terms of building the team and the chemistry between the players. We have the right confidence, the right mindset. If you put all these things together, it’s time for us to give it our all.”