The Werkself in Dublin – live blog

+++22 May, 23:08 CEST+++

The Werkself naturally form a guard of honour for the winners. While Atalanta Bergamo are being presented with the Europa League trophy at this moment and can rightly celebrate today, we end the day by taking a brief look ahead to the rest of our schedule, because this historic season is not over yet!

At midday tomorrow, the Bayer 04 squad will travel directly to Berlin to prepare for the DFB Pokal final. The press conference and final training session are scheduled for Friday evening at the Olympiastadion, before the match against 1. FC Kaiserslautern kicks off at 20:00 CEST on Saturday evening.

+++22 May, 22:55 CEST+++

It just wasn't meant to be. There was nothing to be had here today against the Italians, who defended well and played aggressive football. Ademola Lookman scored a hat-trick for Atalanta, basically single-handedly securing a 3-0 victory in this final. After an incredible 51 (!) competitive games without defeat this season and winning the Bundesliga, the Werkself have now lost for the first time. Now it's time to put it behind them and move on! After all, the next final is just three days away, in the DFB Pokal against 1. FC Kaiserslautern in Berlin's Olympiastadion.

No matter what happened here today and what might happen on Saturday - our championship-winning boys' season is already a historic one! We salute them!

+++22 May, 19:50 CEST+++

"Bundesliga champions!" naturally echoes through the stadium here in Dublin - with just over an hour till kick-off! A large proportion of the 12,000 or so Bayer 04 fans are already in the stands - which have a somewhat unusual layout, at least on our side of the stadium. The supporters' block only goes back a good ten rows, so the fans are really spread out today.

Incidentally, the coveted trophy issitting on one of the many presenter's desks on the side of the pitch, which immediately brings a few questions to mind: Will Bayer 04 win the double for the first time in the club's history? Will the league championship be followed by a Europa League win? And how much Guinness will I drink tonight if it does? But for now, the focus is entirely on the upcoming 90 minutes, and our players on the pitch will completely block out any thoughts of possible celebrations till after the final whistle.

+++22 May, 19:29 CEST+++

Bayer's here! The many thousands of Werkself fans set off from the fan meeting point towards the Dublin Arena just over half an hour ago - and have just arrived. On the way to the stadium, our fans already really got everyone pumped up. Of course, this didn't go unnoticed by the people living in the neighbourhood, and many of them could be seen looking out of their windows and doors or standing in their front gardens. Yes, we can well and truly feel that cup final tingle!

+++22 May, 18:51 CEST+++

Since midday today, we've been out and about in various corners of the city and have caught the most diverse - and admittedly crazy - anecdotes about travelling to the island. Take Tim, for example, who travelled to Dublin by ferry via Calais. Meanwhile, Kai and his father Hans-Peter weathered yesterday's storms in Düsseldorf. And there's more on their extraordinary journey: "We flew from Düsseldorf to Amsterdam and are sleeping here in a small B&B with an elderly lady who cooked us a typical local breakfast today. Tomorrow we'll be travelling back to Düsseldorf via Oslo, where we'll spend the night. And then on Saturday we're off to Berlin."

Meanwhile, Stefan Kiessling was on hand at the UEFA fan festival in the city centre to greet the Black & Reds' supporters who were there. In the afternoon, there were also some highlights at the official meeting point at Shelbourne Park, where more than 2,300 Bayer 04 fans were present: at around 3 p.m., the 1988 UEFA Cup-winning team took to the stage. Wolfgang Rolff, who played for the Black and Reds from 1986-1989 and was captain of the winning team, said: "We already had very good fans back then. But nowadays, of course, there are many more. It's outstanding at the moment. You can sense the huge euphoria everywhere. I also have to pay you [the fans] a big compliment for the way you've supported the team so far. You've played a big part in this success." Falko Götz, who played for the Werkself from 1984 to 1988 and now works in scouting, added: "Bayer 04 are now an absolute top team. This euphoria also carries the team. The atmosphere in the BayArena this season has been breathtaking and I've never experienced it like this before."

Meanwhile, Bayer 04 Legend and record appearance-maker Rüdiger Vollborn stressed: "When the Meisterschale was hoisted into the air last Saturday, I did shed a tear or two. And when Xabi held up the trophy, you just realised how much this squad is connected to him." Vollborn also had an exciting anecdote to share: "I think the most important day in terms of the Bundesliga was 26 October 2022, the match against Atletico Madrid (2-2). Losing wasn't an option and the referee awarded a penalty against us in the 9th minute of stoppage time. Goalkeeping coach David Thiel said to Lukas [Hradecky] beforehand: 'Lukas, you know where [Yannick] Carrasco's going to put it'. In the end, Lukas saved it and we drew 2-2. It was an important point, because the draw meant we later made it into the Europa League, where we won against Monaco and played against Roma. And that was also the moment that was the catalyst for all of this."

The 1988 team's appearance was followed by the Bayer 04 anthem. Numerous Black and Red supporters held their scarves aloft, stood on the benches and sang along loudly: "Leverkusen, we are the power on the Rhine..." - that really gets you hyped up for tonight's spectacle! Two hours to go...

+++22 May, 13:38 CEST+++

Activation session - complete! During the first part with stretching exercises, the Werkself players were fully focused on getting their bodies in gear. Afterwards, there was a bit of fun - with plenty of noise - with some football tennis in the large conference room of the team hotel. Jonathan Tah and Edmond Tapsoba, for example, fought out a duel at the net against Florian Wirtz and Amine Adli, while the others played keepy-uppy nearby in two larger circles. It looks like our boys are ready for the big showdown tonight!

+++22 May, 12:49 CEST+++

Incidentally, the Dublin Arena, the venue for today's final, is shaped like a horseshoe, the well-known symbol for luck. Fortune was not on the side of the stadium operators in the summer of 2021, however, when they handed back the hosting rights to the UEFA EUROS due to local coronavirus restrictions. To compensate the stadium for this decision, the continental association awarded this year's UEFA Europa League final to the Irish capital - it will be the second major international final for the stadium, which is known outside of UEFA competitions as "Aviva Stadium".

The Europa League final has been held once before in Dublin, in 2011, a year after the stadium opened. At that time, Porto contested an all-Portuguese final against Braga (1-0). The stadium is not used exclusively for football, however; in addition to the Irish Football Association, it is also owned by the Irish Rugby Union, which organises events and international matches in the 51,700-capacity stadium.

+++22 May, 9:04 CEST+++

Good morning from Ireland! We were out and about in the city last night - Dublin really does have a special charm. And it has to be said: We definitely saw more Black and Red than Black and Blue! More fans will be arriving here today by bus, ferry and plane.

Fittingly, We'd like to draw your attention once again to the fan meeting point at Shelbourne Park, which has been open from 9am local time. All the fan info you need at a glance can be found HERE. Here's to a hopefully successful cup final day!

+++21 May, 21:20 CEST+++

In almost summer-like conditions by Irish standards, with bright sunshine but a fresh breeze, the final training session started at exactly 20:49 German time. In high spirits, the Werkself began with a short warm-up on the byline, followed by various passing drills in larger groups. It was clear to see that both the players and the coaching team were highly concentrated and focused. There was also plenty of fire in the subsequent eight-a-side game in a confined space.

As the floodlights came on, Alejandro Grimaldo and Co then worked on in their crossing game. After an open game across half a pitch, the session officially ended with a few shots on goal. At the other end, goalkeeping coach David Thiel and Matej Kovar did some extra work on positioning at corners.

The working day was over at 21:41 for the Werkself and for us. The team are now eating together at their hotel and then it's good night from Dublin - or as they say here: oíche maith!

+++21 May, 20:20 CEST+++

An important update on the fan flights to Dublin on matchday: some of the flight times have changed due to last-minute postponements by Dublin Airport. Full details!

+++21 May, 19:46 CEST+++

After that it's the Werkself's turn to get down to business at the Dublin Arena, but before the press conference and final training session, head coach Xabi Alonso as well as Granit Xhaka, Jeremie Frimpong and Jonathan Tah gave a number of interviews around the perimeter of the pitch to global TV broadcasters. The final will be shown in over 100 countries, with over 40 broadcasters reporting live from here tomorrow.

Defensive linchpin Tah also spoke to Werkself-TV about the huge motivation for the upcoming clash, respect for defensively strong opponents as well as excitement about the support of the 12,000 travelling Bayer 04 fans. With the press conference getting under way inside in a few minutes, assistant coaches Sebastian Parrilla and Alberto Encinas and goalkeeping coach David Thiel are setting up training on the pitch. There are a lot of poles and cones...

+++21 May, 19:12 CEST+++

Atalanta's final training session is drawing to a close. Following the warm-up in front of the end where the Italian fans will be housed tomorrow evening, it continued with a drill involving three teams keeping the ball without goals - on the side of the pitch where the sun is shining. That was followed by a passing and finishing exercise, with the focus on crossing - often onto the head of 1.95-metre-tall striker Gianluca Scamacca, who's currently the third-highest scorer in this season's Europa League with six goals.

While we're on the subject of Atalanta: La Dea are in their first ever final of a major European competition. Along the way they've beaten the likes of Sporting Lisbon, Liverpool and Olympique Marseille. Victory over the Werkself in the final would make them the first Italian club to win the Europa League.

+++21 May, 18:17 CEST+++

Atalanta's press conference has finished. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who's been in the role since 2016, began by talking about the Werkself: "They have a great team and have had good results. Despite lots of good individual players, they're mainly about the collective. You can only praise what's happened at Leverkusen this season." On the question of the German champions' strengths, Gasperini answered: "They're well organised and very variable in how they play. As well as that there's their defensive strength and transitional play. Despite that, we also have great confidence and have already beaten some good teams in both the league and Europe."

By the way, at 66 Gasperini will be the oldest coach in the final of a UEFA competition since Jupp Heynckes, who was 68 when FC Bayern Munich beat Borussia Dortmund in the 2013 Champions League final. His 42-year-old opposite number Xabi Alonso, in contrast, is the youngest boss in the final of a European competition since Roberto Di Matteo, who was 41 for Chelsea's Champions League triumph over Bayern in 2012.

After that, centre-back Berat Djimsiti and midfield conductor Marten de Roos, who will miss the game injured, took their seats on the podium at the Dublin Arena. Albania international Djimsiti, who's been with Atalanta since 2018, spoke among other things about the Werkself's run of 51 games without defeat in all competitions: "We can only beat them if we all defend together and all attack together. We need to play as a team. Their run is remarkable, they're having an extraordinary season. Despite that, I don't see any clear favourites tomorrow. We want to be the first team to beat Leverkusen."

Teammate de Roon will be supporting his teammates from the bench on Wednesday night. The experienced Dutchman, who's been in Bergamo since 2017, stressed: "For all the importance of the match, the boys should also enjoy it. I'll help them as much as I can." The Werkself have had "a perfect season" to date, "but every team is beatable. Maybe we can end their run. If you want to win the trophy, you have to be able to beat any team."

+++21 May, 15:12 CEST+++

While the Bayer 04 squad are getting something to eat and settling into their hotel, let's take a look at what our opponents are up to. Atalanta have also now arrived in the Irish capital. The Italians are holding their press conference in the media centre at the Dublin Arena at 16:30 CEST, followed by the final training session at 17:15 CEST, which is - like the Werkself's session - open to the public for an hour. Of course, we'll bring you the key statements from the Atalanta presser as well as some images from their training session here. Until then!

+++21 May, 13:48 CEST+++

Many of you will already be on the way to Dublin by bus, ferry and/or plane. It makes us incredibly proud just to say that! To ensure you've got all the information you need when you arrive or enter the country and afterwards here on site, our Fan Liaison team has put together this handy guide!

+++21 May, 13:07 CEST+++

Landed! After a bus transfer into the city, lunch at the team hotel is next up. There was already lots going on when the team arrived at their hotel, with lots of fans grabbing autographs and selfies. A final atmosphere in Dublin!

+++21 May, 11:27 CEST+++

Take-off! This is the squad that's travelling to Dublin: Lukas Hradecky, Josip Stanisic, Piero Hincapie, Jonathan Tah, Odilon Kossounou, Jonas Hofmann, Robert Andrich, Borja Iglesias, Florian Wirtz, Edmond Tapsoba, Arthur, Patrik Schick, Matej Kovar, Nathan Tella, Alejandro Grimaldo, Amine Adli, Victor Boniface, Adam Hlozek, Exequiel Palacios, Jeremie Frimpong, Gustavo Puerta, Granit Xhaka and Niklas Lomb. 

By the way, a nice bit of info from the plane: the captain himself was at the BayArena with his family on Saturday as a fan for the presentation of the Meisterschale. How it should be!

+++21 May, 10:58 CEST+++

Before the extraordinary journey really gets under way with the departure for Ireland, Simon Rolfes (managing director sport) told the media representatives present at the terminal: "For a situation like this, you start the journey at the beginning of the season and play round after round – to get to the final and then win it. The presentation of the Meisterschale on Saturday was very special and today we're setting off for not one, but two finals. It's a bizarre situation, but of course it's wonderful. The motivation couldn't be greater. At the same time, we also have a good mix of excitement and composure." Rolfes described their first opponents, Atalanta, as "extremely physical", continuing: "They have integrated a clear playing philosophy with their coach over the years. They're a really good team and they're rightly in the final. We're expecting a very hard-fought match."

+++21 May, 10:31 CEST+++

Bayer 04's record appearance maker Rüdiger "Rudi" Vollborn is also about to board. The former goalkeeper won the UEFA Cup with the Werkself in 1988 - the club's only European title to date. Before the flight, the 61-year-old looked ahead to the finals in Dublin and Berlin: "I'm slightly nervous but also looking forward to the two games. I'm optimistic overall, even though we're in for two tricky games against good opponents." Over the course of the week, Vollborn will also be reunited with some of his teammates from the 1988 campaign. "Hopefully, after the game in Dublin, we're no longer the only Leverkusen team to have won a European trophy. I've got my fingers crossed for the boys!"

+++21 May, 9:23 CET+++

Here's the Werkself's plan for today: after breakfast together at the BayArena, the group will make their way to Cologne/Bonn Airport, where they fly to Dublin at 11:30 CEST. Upon arrival, the team will have lunch at the hotel and then some relaxation time. In the evening, a number of interviews as well as the press conference with head coach Xabi Alonso, Jonathan Tah and Granit Xhaka are on the schedule. The last official item of the day is the final training session at the Dublin Arena. Keep up with all the latest here throughout the day!

+++21 May, 8:56 CEST+++

The Bayer 04 squad head to Ireland this morning. In the capital Dublin, specifically the Dublin Arena, they'll battle it out with Serie A side Atalanta for the UEFA Europa League trophy from 21:00 CEST (20:00 local time) tomorrow night! The North Italians, like the Werkself, are enjoying a good run at the moment, but more on that later. First of all, we wish everyone who's making the trip to Dublin a safe journey and thank you already for the great effort you're making for the Werkself!