Topic: UEFA Europa League 2023/24 Season - page 54. (Read 58961 times)

The disappointment of losing the Europa League final and ending their unbeaten record in such a manner is unpleasant for Leverkusen.  Not being able to grab the UEL trophy and at thesame time conceding three goals without a goal in return only makes the talk of the defeat wild.  The final goal to conclude the loss scored in the dire minute of the game and at a crucial time of the season for Leverkusen only increases the level of disappointment and will be a definite reoccurrence in the mind of the team as a whole.

 Despite the huge loss, Leverkusen's overall season performance remains remarkable. Even having failed in the final, their achievements throughout the season shouldn't be looked away. However, the game of two nights ago gives them the importance of addressing weaknesses and staying vigilant, as other teams will undoubtedly take note of Atalanta's successful tactics and seek to exploit Leverkusen's vulnerabilities in future encounters. This loss serves as a learning experience, motivating Leverkusen to regroup, refine their strategies, and strive for even greater success in the seasons to come.

 It's definitely a huge lesson to be learnt by the German side. Really they were put at a spot they shouldn't have been so vulnerable to be and at thesame time Atalanta used that game to gain victory and confidence. The German side are hardworking no doubt and I personally still have a good level of conviction in them. They should learn from the mistakes of the loss, remarkable feat they've attained. It's safe to commend them greatly. Both teams literally deserves good commendation.

The two teams have shown different performances in their respective leagues, Leverkusen appeared quite consistent and unbeaten, while Atlanta of course came limping after they suffered several defeats including when playing in the Coppa Italia Cup, but in the Europa League final match we actually saw things that were inversely proportional to the condition of the two teams so far,  Leverkusen performed quite well in the final but it was quite surprising for us to see that they only played the ball well but were unable to score a single goal and as if they were missing out on luck and also a way to make a comeback from a lose like they always do.

I think there was nothing wrong in Leverkusen plan in the game, because statistically they were able to play quite well and could even dominate in the game, but indeed Atlanta who played loose without burden was more able to optimize the match better, gasperini seemed to focus more on defense as the main strategy to destroy Leverkusen,  Gasperini realizes Leverkusen have a dangerous attack and he manages to anticipate this with the solid defense they build, in addition, Atlanta, which does have only a few attacks, but is more effective by relying on long balls that penetrate the Leverkusen defense.

Previously, we always waited and wondered whether there would be a team that could beat Leverkusen this season and that happened in the European League, to be precise in the final match between Atalanta vs Leverkusen. Atalanta became the first team to successfully defeat Leverkusen this season and they did so in the final match. Something that was a little unexpected, because previously Leverkusen was the team that we placed as big favorites to win, but Atalanta broke it all.
And they were even able to beat Leverkusen with a landslide score of 3 goals without reply. From here we can see that no matter how strong a team is, even without losing doesn't mean they will never lose. Even though they are very superior on paper, that doesn't mean it will be a guarantee that they will be able to win. Atalanta can answer everyone's questions by successfully becoming the team that can beat Leverkusen this season.

Atalanta played with a defensive strategy and appeared aggressive by committing more fouls against their opponents who were trying to build dangerous attacks. This kind of strategy basically works in some games, but not in many games. Xabi Alonso doesn't have much experience dealing with problems like that in important matches like finals, so he will definitely have difficulty not conceding goals while he really wants his team to score goals.

Of course, from these match statistics, we can learn that not all teams that are able to dominate possession of the ball and have good passing accuracy are able to score goals to win the match. Sometimes a good strategy in many matches will also be broken by a team that only defends and takes advantage of counter attacks.

They have strong mentality but gesperini's strategy is totally worked against atalanta. The man on man marking has been making it so difficult for leverkusen to rebuild its attack from the bottom. No doubt that many people were praising him as a good coach even though this is his first trophy after gasperini 7 years managing atalanta.
Im also praising him caused by he could find the best strategy to destroy leverkusen. People are hoping leverkusen to win the game but they are totally wrong about that. No player on leverkusen who was capable enough to leave from being marked by atalanta's players.
I really appreciate what gasperini did. A good performance combined by correct strategy helped atalanta a lot.

Leverkusen was under so much pressure aswell and that was an advantage for Atalanta because the pressure kept Leverkusen disorganized especially after the first goal, their rhythm changed they began to look tensed because there's the pressure to equalize and then get to win the game and set the record while been able to maintain their unbeaten streak through out the season so it was really rough on them.

Like you did stated correctly the fact that there was  no expectations whatsoever from Atlanta kept them relaxed a little and properly execute their plans on making sure they are able to win the trophy if the opportunity avails it's self, they aswell understood that Leverkusen and Liverpool happens to be the two top teams in the whole of the Europa league game as at then and I'd they were able to win Liverpool with a certain tactics than employing same tactics against Leverkusen will be effective and it was applied and the incredible result was the final outcome.

That victory alone got Atlanta having a more strong and rougher winning mentality that at this point I don't think most teams in their domestic league can get it easy against them neither will teams in the Europa this season be able to really contend them because winning the top and almost toughest team in the league definitely helps boost their confidence to feeling they are not just a regular team .

They tried to score a goal as quickly as possible and they managed to get it in the 12th minute. The goal they were able to create made their mentality even better so they created a second goal in the 26th minute. The 2 goal advantage they held clearly allowed them to have the upper hand , they could be more calm in playing the game, even though Leverkusen tried to press and try to create goals, they always managed to break it.

This is the key to their success in this match. Apart from that, they are also aware that Leverkusen can always score goals before the end of the match, and they anticipate this by continuing to focus. And the third goal they scored in the 75th minute was the killer of the match, because it was very difficult for Leverkusen to catch the goal with only 15 minutes remaining. So the strategy that Atalanta implemented in this match went according to plan and it led them to victory.

Leverkusen may have had a flaw in their plans or they may not have performed as planned. How do you see Leverkusen losing by a wide margin in the final? Granted that a lesser team can beat a bigger team in the finals, and I also accept that anything untoward can happen in the finals, so how come the favorites lose by such a huge margin against the other teams in the finals. Leverkusen conceded three goals in contrast they failed to score a goal here but they looked like a very weak team. If they also take extra pressure thinking that it's the final match of a big tournament and if they get nervous then I definitely don't consider the players as professional players.

And when the favorites by many authorities cannot win the final as happened with Leverkusen, it also tells many people that in a final anything can happen and it is very important not to underestimate any opponent. Because the opponent who was not the favorite did have the fighting spirit to win the match, so this was truly proven in the efforts of Atalanta, who were generally not the favorites to win at that time. However, I myself am quite amazed by what Atalanta achieved because the team was able to silence many people's predictions and favorites.

This was due to Gasperini's foresight in managing the scheme of things.
We can see the smart move Gasperini made in the final match where Xabi who implemented a man to man marking scheme with a high level of press was actually used as an advantage by Gasperini who did a long pass as his main strategy.  As a result, some long passes and direct passes on quick counter-attacks were an advantage for Atalanta who made the difference and the score was quite striking in the final match.

In addition, after falling behind by 2 goals Leverkusen actually increased the intensity of the attack so that this actually became a good momentum for Atalanta in playing more defensively and relying on counterattacks so that in this case in my opinion Leverkusen did not not play like in the final but they actually lost before fighting because Xabi'strategy could all be read by Gasperini who could indeed counter it well.

 Two things need to be considered in this game, both the one that Atalanta played against Liverpool and the one that Atalanta played against Bayer Leverkusen. Why I said this is because Atalanta actually played the game with passion, and if you watch the two games, you will definitely admit all those things, they is one thing that needs to be accepted. Atalanta have already studied the pattern in which almost all the best-performing teams in the Europa League play, which is why they hardly get more challenges when it comes to playing games against them.
 
What they did to Liverpool is the same thing they did to Beyer leverkusen, but in a different pattern. But then we were thinking that because Liverpool lost against Manchester United in the FA Cup, that is why they were able to do that, not knowing they had already studied and planned everything.

Bayer Leverkusen did not play like it did in the final match. Atalanta played as if it had nothing to lose. Mind you, they played like this against Liverpool and won 3-0 away. Atalanta wins stressful matches by playing comfortably and the opposing team cannot relieve the stress. He was comfortable because Leverkusen was seen as the favorite by most authorities. However, the match clearly showed us that this was not the case.

Do you really understand what Docnaster means?
He said, Leverkusen players are too confident, it makes them to play carelessly in the match. Even Xabi Alonso choose inappropriate starting lineup, they assume to win easily against Atalanta. Be too confident, makes Leverkusen to get a lose in the final.

Sure, Atalanta players also played with a confidence but they didn't become over confident or too confident. They played more seriously because they are not the favorite team to win the trophy. Even they didn't win the ball possessions but they can be more focused on the shot attempts. They tried to not waste any opportunity they got in the match.

Who said Leverkusen played good?
Winning the ball possessions will be nothing if it can't result in a goal.
Even if Atalanta didn't win the ball possessions, they could score 3 goals. It means Atalanta can play more effective in the match. TBH, the ball possessions is sometimes not very necessary, the most important thing is to win the match. The focus is to score goal as many as possible, we don't care whether to play a beautiful game or not.

In matches like this that means a whole lot to the club that wants victory at all cost, they shouldn’t have lost any hope even after Lookman scored the opening goal. They were under pressure and they need to contain that pressure before they can think of what to do next. They shouldn’t have lost hope even after conceding two goals, there was enough time to change the game in their favour but I think they gave up early which caused them more goals and a regrettable defeat in the whole of the season.

Bayern Leverkusen still stands strong and good for the next season. If the Europa Leage is still their calling next season, they can still play here and get more achievement. And maybe this time around, no one can stop them and they’ll triumph by that time. Their focus is the champions league now, where they’ll meet bigger teams that they might not have played with and cannot easily win. They should focus more on that and see how they can go far in that competition also against next season.

The match between Leverkusen and Atalanta was already foreseen to be competitive, but Leverkusen got so vulnerable at the earliest moment of the game after the first goal was netted. Despite expectations for Leverkusen to bounce back and exert pressure on Atalanta, they got disorganized, allowing Lookman to exploit gaps and secure a crucial goal for Atalanta. This initial setback seemed to cost Leverkusen dearly, seen in Xabi's panic as they were behind by two goals before the injury time. The mounting pressure from Atalanta increased Leverkusen's struggles, giving them the ability to take control of the match.

 Leverkusen has shown resilience in previous matches by series of comebacks, their efforts were broken and condemned by Atalanta's solid defense and Lookman's three winning goals in the game. Leverkusen's performance throughout the match was lacking in several areas with their attempts to outrun Atalanta's defense proving ineffective. Despite the disappointment, Xabi's efforts to lead Leverkusen to this stage should be appreciated and honored too. Atalanta's victory over Leverkusen was significant to breaking Leverkusen's unbeaten record and demonstrating their feats on the field.

 In conclusion, Leverkusen's lackings in the match gave them areas for improvement, particularly in maintaining composure under pressure and breaking through resistive defenses. While the defeat is a huge loss, it's not the end for Leverkusen, and they can use this experience to regroup, learn, and come back stronger in future matches. Congratulations to Atalanta for their well-deserved victory, and for proving themselves as a formidable opponent throughout the match. Leverkusen definitely should be looking forward to their DFB pokal encounter and I'm certain it'd be an easy win for them. There and then they'd be crowned with two trophies.

I also watched the match since the match started but indeed, in my view Atalanta managed to have the better morale and mentality.So,  when Atalanta had the ball and attacked, at least I thought Atalanta really had a chance to win until Lookman finally got his first goal. From then on, I saw Bayer Leverkusen seem to lose their motivation and ambition because perhaps, Bayer Leverkusen were under pressure so it was difficult to get a good mood in the final match of the Europa League. At least,that's the view and or judgment that I have, so Bayer Leverkusen really failed because Bayer Leverkusen was also unable to score a goal in that match.

From the performance of Atalanta this season and how they farewell in all competitions to reach two finals this season and also finished above average on the league table, you won’t see them from next season as a weak team or a team not to be feared or not giving much concentration when playing against them. They have come out more prosperous than they were in the previous seasons this just concluded season and their coach will also be looking for alternatives and more suitable tactics to make them better than they are this season. When you’re counting big teams from Serie A next season, you have to include Atalanta and when you’re also counting potential teams to make it out of the first stage of the champions league to the knockout stage, you still have to include them because they’ve shown that competency as a team.

I slightly disagree with your opinion because in my opinion it is quite the opposite.
IMO, it is not Xabi troops who look very confident, but Atalanta who have so much confidence that they can break down the Leverkusen defense and also reduce the mentality of the Leverkusen players.
If someone says Leverkusen looked good in the final match, I slightly disagree because actually Atalanta ball control is far superior with little movement but has fast attacks and Atalanta playing style is like a very experienced team and can always take the ball from Leverkusen.
you can see how when Leverkusen is in control of the ball, then the Atalanta players can easily read the movements of the Leverkusen players and the direction of the ball wherever Atalanta can easily guess and that's all because Leverkusen confidence has dropped greatly after conceding 1 score.

another piece of evidence regarding Leverkusen not having confidence was when Amine Adli and Florian Wirtz got a very good chance but couldn't score and while it was really a very good chance they should have scored some points.
If Leverkusen self confidence and mentality are very high, Florian Wirtz chances will definitely be 1 score and Leverkusen will be able to provide resistance.
but the facts are very bad, right? conceded 3 scores without reply and confidence means nothing for Leverkusen.

The final match of course had a different atmosphere than other games including the semi-finals, every team that reached the final was not a team to be underestimated and I think at that time Leverkusen also did not underestimate Atlanta so they lost, Leverkusen fielded their main squad in the game and even since the game started they continued to press the Atlanta defense with high pressure,  But indeed the mentality possessed by Atlanta was actually better in the game, although Leverkusen controlled the game but Atlanta with their tactics and game scheme was more effective in attacking, if you look at Atlanta's game at that time surely you know if Atlanta did not try to control the ball for too long, when the ball was obtained by midfielders and defender players,the ball was directly sent to Scamacca in the front line and made Leverkusen difficult to build regained their defense.

Even though they lost the game, Leverkusen was still able to present a pretty good game in my opinion, but unfortunately the quick counterattack scheme and also the long ball from Atlanta actually made Leverkusen players a little panicked in suppressing the surprise that Atlanta gave, besides that we can see that the mentality possessed by Leverkusen in the final match was not as good as when they faced ordinary matches and even in the DFB final it was also clear if Their mentality was quite affected even though they finally won with a score of 1-0 over the Bundesliga 2 team.

I watched the UEFA Europa League final game between Atalanta vs Bayer Leverkusen and in my own personal assessment of the game, I think the German club were too confident in that game ahd that cost them the ultimate prize. The Italian team were more determined to win that game while the German Bundesliga champions were playing like a team who's very convinced that they'll definitely win the game and even when they were two goals down, Bayer Leverkusen were still playing like they've got everything under control.
Xabi Alonso have achieved tremendous success this season but could've achieved more if he was very cautious of Atalanta in that final. Ademola Lookman who scored a hat trick in that game was simply unstoppable and that was why he was able to give Leverkusen a good run for their money.