The stakes for Wednesday's Europa League final at Dublin's Aviva Stadium are high, even higher than usual.
For Bayer Leverkusen, this is a chance to conclude the second part of their treble and end an unprecedented unbeaten season within 90 minutes.
It will be Atalanta's first opportunity to lift major silverware since 1963.
Something has to give.
Leverkusen, led by Xabi Alonso, achieved a 51-game unbeaten record and won their first Bundesliga title, making headlines around the world. This is for a club that has only ever won the UEFA Cup in 1988 and the German Cup in 1993.
In his first full season as senior manager, the Spanish coach said: “Our focus is on preparing for the match. [as] special game. We haven't changed anything.
“We've played 51 games. The players understand. It's time to do our best.
“We've been preparing for this moment all year. It's not just a job today. We have a great team. The players are definitely ready. I have a good feeling that things won't change. We respect Atalanta, but we have been confident in our game. ”
The two teams that made it to the final crushed England's hopes, with Bayer Leverkusen defeating West Ham and Atalanta defeating Liverpool in the Europa League quarter-finals.
“I think we are in the best mental and physical condition,” said Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini, who was without injured captain Marten de Roon.
“Leverkusen are a complete team, very organized. They are versatile, good at defending and recovering the ball. The results they have achieved this season are no coincidence.
“We have to respect them and try to adapt quickly to what we are facing.”
Alonso feels 'connected' to Ireland
Like many Spanish teenagers, Alonso spent the summer of his 14th year in Ireland, specifically Kells in County Meath, learning English.
When asked if he could have imagined what he would be like now, he answered: “At that point, it wasn’t in the plan what I would become.
“I enjoyed my summer here. It's always great to come back. I always feel that connection. When I was at Liverpool I had a strong connection with Ireland.”
Why is Leverkusen's season so special?
Bayer Leverkusen are two games away from achieving a goal that has never been achieved before: an unbeaten season in European competition.
They had never won the German title in their 119-year history until this year, but have since done it without losing a single game. This is something no team has ever done in the Bundesliga.
In fact, they were known as Neverkusen. That's because they were runners-up in the Bundesliga five times, lost three out of four German Cup finals, and were the only one in the Champions League final. The 2001-02 season saw them finish second in all three games, with the Champions League final best remembered for Zinedine Zidane's stunning goal at Real Madrid.
However, when Alonso took over as manager of Real Sociedad B in October 2022, all the dire circumstances changed. At the time, Leverkusen were second from bottom.
A classy midfielder who played for Real Sociedad, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Spain, the 42-year-old has revolutionized Leverkusen.
It's not just the quality of the football and the team, it's the never-say-die spirit that is remarkable, with wing-backs who can score freely.
In 2024, they have scored an equaliser or winning goal in the 90th minute or added time 10 times, including twice in one game.
Some of them played in the 97th minute, including the Europa League semi-final second leg draw with Roma.
Although they were leading by one point on aggregate, they still sent their players forward to regain their unbeaten record.
Even if they win against Atalanta, there will be another obstacle ahead. That will be the German Cup final against second division Kaiserslautern on Saturday.
Why is Atalanta's season so special?
Atalanta, like Bayer Leverkusen, are a team with a manager who has the ability to transform, and although they have been active for a long period of time, they have rarely won silver medals.
The Bergamo club is 116 years old but has only won one trophy, the Coppa Italia in 1963.
A bit of a yo-yo club, he returned from Serie A to Serie B five times in the 1990s and 2000s.
Gasperini has transformed them into a force to be reckoned with since taking over in 2016, spending six of his 10 seasons in Europe during his eight-year reign.
This is their first European final and Gasperini will be hoping to take the final step and lead them to glory.
The only downside of his time at Atalanta was his record in finals, in 2019, 2021 and again last week, when he lost to Juventus in the Coppa Italia centerpiece.
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Many expected this game to be Jurgen Klopp's farewell match as Liverpool manager, but Atalanta had other ideas when they met in the quarter-finals.
West Ham also lost to Leverkusen at the same stage.
And Brighton had already played Roma in the last 16.
Both teams feature London-born players, and both have represented Nigeria at international level.
Former Charlton, Everton, Fulham and Leicester winger Ademola Lookman is Atalanta's fourth top scorer this season with 11 goals.
Leverkusen signed winger Nathan Tella from Southampton last summer and often uses him as the right wing-back for Dutch international Jeremy Frimpong. He has scored 6 goals in all competitions.
Are there any upcoming games?
Neither team's season will end at the final whistle in Dublin.
Bayer Leverkusen, hoping to keep their treble dream alive, will face Kaiserslautern in the German Cup final at Berlin's Olympic Stadium on Saturday.
Alonso's team will be overwhelming favourites to win against a team that finished in the bottom half of the second division this season.
Atalanta have two more games in Serie A, facing Torino and Fiorentina on the next two Sundays.
A point from either match will secure a spot in next season's Champions League.
The Fiorentina match will take place one week after the Italian season officially ends. The tournament was scheduled to be held in March, but Fiorentina manager Joe Barone collapsed at the team hotel before the game and died two days later.
Fiorentina had no time for any other matches as they face Olympiacos in the Europa Conference League final next week.
