After 51 games, and almost a year, Bayer Leverkusen's unbeaten run was ended in the Europa League final. Coach Xabi Alonso admitted this one "hurts" but his side have a chance to make amends, and a bright future.
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Before his side set out to try and make even more history, Xabi Alonso compared football to "a movie." But the final of the Europa League proved a scene he'd have preferred to leave on the cutting room floor, as Ademola Lookman's hat trick ensured he took top billing and Italian side Atalanta walked the red carpet in Dublin, ending Bayer Leverkusen's unbeaten season in the process.
"It's not about the unbeaten run, that didn't matter, it's about this game," said Leverkusen's midfielder Granit Xhaka. "We lost a game, unfortunately. That's football. We knew it'd be a tough game, compliments to Atalanta."
Lookman, who had a spell in the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig, opened the scoring after 12 minutes before further punishing an uncharacteristically sloppy Leverkusen with two excellent strikes in the 26th and 75th minutes.
No Leverkusen late show, as Lookman shines
The Nigerian international, born and raised in London, has bounced around clubs without ever quite fulfilling his potential. He is representative of a team made up of smart transfers, homegrown players and those who have been guided back onto the right path by coach Gian Pierro Gasperini.
"One of the best nights of my life," Lookman told TNT Sports immediately after the game. "Amazing performance from the team. We did it. I don't have many words to say, but fantastic … We have to celebrate. We made history tonight."
Given the nature of Leverkusen's season — they have scored 18 stoppage-time goals and 33 goals after the 80th minute — even the third of Lookman's goals might not have felt like the clincher on any other night. But even a belief forged in one of football's greatest seasons wilted in the force of a ferocious, focused and emphatic display from the Italian side.
"It is extremely bitter," Leverkusen midfielder Robert Andrich told German broadcaster RTL. "Atalanta did what they always do, press all over the pitch, and they won the decisive duels."
"We have to be honest: it was deserved," the German international continued. "It wasn't enough today. I think we had phases in the game where we were better, but we didn't create any real scoring opportunities. You deserve to lose if you concede three goals and don't score any."
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Alonso suffers first big setback
As Alonso applauded the traveling fans, who kept singing, his players ambled around the Dublin pitch, having almost forgotten the sensation of defeat.
"We were not planning to have a bad day today, but for sure, we had one," Alonso told TNT. "It was not meant to be. It hurts because we wanted to lift the trophy, but you can't have everything."
The Leverkusen coach has enjoyed a meteoric rise since taking charge of the Bundesliga outfit in his first senior job in 2022. Questions will be asked of his decision to leave Lookman's Nigerian teammate Victor Boniface on the bench, but to reach this point without defeat and to secure a first Bundesliga title is an enormous over-achievement.
Domestic double still on
Alonso's decision to stay put and spurn Bayern Munich and Liverpool means he will take his side to the Champions League next term. As gracious and eloquent as ever, the 42-year-old explained why he was comfortable with that decision.
"We have a very good connection," he said. "[There are] many players I went to look for, and they came to the project, so it was too early [to go]. I'm happy to be here, and I will learn from today. It's an experience that means we will keep improving."
As much as it stings, this loss will certainly not define Alonso's side. And with the German Cup final to come, against second division Kaiserslautern on Saturday in Berlin, they could, and probably should, end a memorable campaign on a high.
"At the moment, of course, the disappointment is much greater than the anticipation of Berlin," added Andrich.
After 51 games and 361 days, stretching back to a 3-0 defeat against VfL Bochum on the final day of last season, Leverkusen's incredible run came to an end.
It didn't turn out to be an invincible season for Leverkusen, but then, unlike Hollywood movies, football doesn't always follow the script.
Edited by: John Silk
Bayer Leverkusen: From infamous runners-up to champions
Bayer Leverkusen have won the men's Bundesliga title for the first time. Dubbed "Neverkusen" for so long having finished second five times, their story had previously been one of heartbreak and intermittent Cup success.
Image: Amós Fernando/DW
Leverkusen start Bundesliga life against Bayern in 1979
The club was founded in 1904 as a sports team for workers of the Farbenfabrik vormals Friedrich Bayer Co. Leverkusen, which later became today's pharma giant Bayer AG. The team played in the lower leagues until 1979 when they were promoted to the Bundesliga. Their first top-flight game was a 3-1 loss at Bayern Munich.
Image: Ludwig Hamberger/dpa/picture alliance
Famous comeback against Espanyol to lift UEFA Cup in 1988
In a rare bit of silverware, Leverkusen won the UEFA Cup against Espanyol in 1988. Back then, the final was still played as a first and second leg. Leverkusen lost 3-0 in Barcelona and only equalized the tie in the second half at home, scoring three goals. The game went to penalties and Bayer triumphed 3-2 in the shootout, thanks to keeper Rüdiger Vollborn.
Image: Eissner/Kicker/IMAGO
German Cup triumph in 1993
Five years after their success in the UEFA Cup, Leverkusen lifted their second trophy. In the 1993 German Cup final, goalscorer Ulf Kirsten (right) and co. beat the reserve team from Hertha Berlin, who sensationally made it to the final. Leverkusen won 1-0, but it was the start of a long dry spell.
Image: Liedel/Kicker/IMAGO
'Neverkusen' curse begins to strike
At the end of the 1990s, Leverkusen became a real top team. General manager Reiner Calmund (right) hired coach Christoph Daum (left) and the club finished second in the Bundesliga three times (1997, 1998, 2000). But the taunts of "Vizekusen" ("Runner-upkusen" in German) or "Neverkusen" began to take hold.
Image: Roland Scheidemann/dpa/picture-alliance
Leverkusen and Ballack misery in 2000
Before the last Bundesliga matchday of the 1999/2000 season, Leverkusen had a three-point lead over Bayern Munich and only needed one more point at promoted Unterhaching to clinch the title. "Nobody can stop us," Daum said before the game. But an own goal by Michael Ballack (left) led to a 2-0 defeat. Bayern became champions instead.
Image: Bernd Weissbrod/dpa/picture alliance
Treble pursuit ends with nothing
In 2002, the "Neverkusen" effect was at its most extreme. First coach Klaus Toppmöller (third from left) saw his side let the Bundesliga title slip from their grasp in the last few matchdays and only finished second. Then Leverkusen also lost the German Cup final against Schalke. But the biggest game in the club's history, the third chance at a trophy in 2002, was still to come...
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Real Madrid, Zidane special down Leverkusen in Champions League final
Leverkusen were also beaten in the 2002 Champions League final against Real Madrid in Glasgow. Zinedine Zidane (right) scored the winning goal with a famous volley. Leverkusen put up a respectable fight but lost 2-1. Shortly afterwards, five German national team players from Leverkusen also became runners-up at the World Cup. The national coach was Rudi Völler — a Leverkusen legend.
Image: Sven Simon/picture-alliance
Deserved defeat against Bremen in 2009
It took seven years for the Werkself to get another chance at a trophy. However, Leverkusen deserved to lose out to Werder Bremen in the 2009 German Cup final. The 1-0 win for Bremen sounds closer than the game turned out to be. Mesut Özil scored the winning goal. Current Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes (center) also played.
Image: Sven Simon/picture-alliance
Record start in 2011, but still only second
In 2011, Leverkusen and coach Jupp Heynckes (right) set a then Bundesliga record of 24 unbeaten games to start the season. However, Bayer never topped the table and Borussia Dortmund ended up as champions. Heynckes and his assistant coach Peter Hermann (left) were then hired by Bayern Munich, with whom they won the treble in 2013.
The 2020 German Cup final was bleak across the board for the Werkself. Due to the COVID pandemic, there were no spectators in Berlin's Olympic Stadium. Leverkusen had no chance against Bayern Munich, mainly due to a poor first half, and lost 4-2. The wait for their first trophy since 1993 continued until this season's Bundesliga master class.
Image: Jürgen Fromme/firo Sportphoto/picture alliance