This is Bayer 04's third appearance in a major European final (after 1987/88 and 2001/02), and Atalanta's first. The two clubs have met twice in competitive matches so far, with the Italians winning both encounters in the round of 16 of the 2021/22 Europa League campaign.
Atalanta can also become the first Italian team to win the Europa League. So far, only clubs from Spain, Portugal, England and Germany have been victorious in the competition. The last Italian team to win the UEFA Cup (predecessor to the UEFA Europa League) was Parma in the 1998/99 season.
Today's venue, the Dublin Arena has previously hosted one Europa League final, in the 2010/11 season. Back then, Porto and Sporting Braga contested an all-Portuguese final, with Porto winning 1-0. Outside of UEFA competitions, the ground is known as the "Aviva Stadium". It's shaped like a horseshoe and is the second largest stadium in Ireland.
A week ago, Atalanta suffered a painful 1-0 defeat against Juventus in the final of the Coppa Italia. Three days later, however, they were successful in their dress rehearsal for today's Europa League final: the Black & Blues won 2-0 at U.S. Lecce to secure a fifth-place finish in Serie A. The Italians, for whom former Leverkusen defender Mitchel Bakker has also been playing since the start of the season, have thus already achieved their first major goal with two matchdays still to go: qualification for the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League. With head coach Gian Piero Gasperini in charge, Atalanta will be competing in Europe's premier club competition for the fourth time. The 66-year-old has been at the helm of the side since 2016. Our in-depth opposition profile has everything else you need to know about the club from Lombardy.
Like the Werkself, Atalanta ended the group stage without defeat. Bayer 04 went on to beat Qarabag in the round of 16, West Ham United in the quarter-finals and Roma in the semi-finals. For their part, the Italians defeated Sporting Lisbon in the round of 16. They then knocked out Liverpool in the quarter-finals before going on to book their place in the final against Marseille.
UEFA have appointed Romanian referee István Kovács for the match in Dublin. The 39-year-old will be assisted by his compatriots Vasile Florin Marinescu and Mihai Ovidiu Artene on the touchline, while VAR duties will be carried out by Dutchman Pol van Boekel.
This evening was deeply moving: At a really special setting, Bayer 04 exclusively presented the specially produced documentary ‘Fierté Burkinabè’ ("Burkinabe Pride") about Edmond Tapsoba on Tuesday. For the preview at the BayArena, the parents of the Werkself player and other close companions travelled all the way from his African homeland Burkina Faso. The 45-minute film shows Tapsoba's extraordinary career from his beginnings in Ouagadougou to Leverkusen as well as the work of his foundation "Fondation Edmond Tapsoba", with representatives from Burkina Faso also present. Fans can watch the documentary free of charge on Werkself TV and YouTube from Wednesday night at 20:00 CEST.
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Bayer 04 have signed left-back Carolin Simon from champions Bayern Munich for the coming season. The 33-year-old former Germany international, who played for Leverkusen from 2013 to 2016, has signed a contract to 30 June 2028.
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Bayer 04 Women have strengthened for the coming season with the signing of Lobke Loone. The 23-year-old Dutch striker joins from Utrecht on a contract until 30 June 2028.
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The Werkself returned from the near one-month break in the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga with a convincing victory at home. Roberto Pätzold's side beat SC Freiburg 4-1 on Sunday afternoon, with goals from Katharina Piljic, Estrella Merino Gonzalez, Cornelia Kramer and Carlotta Wamser ensuring a 13th win of the season at the Ulrich-Haberland-Stadion. The Black and Reds, who are now on 40 points, move up to fourth place at least overnight.
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