"It's painful" - Xabi Alonso breaks silence as Atalanta end Bayer Leverkusen's 51-game unbeaten run
Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso spoke out after his team's incredible 51-game unbeaten run came to an end in the Europa League final on Wednesday night (May 22).
The German champions were up against Italian outfit Atalanta in the final of Europe's second-highest club competition, which the former ended up losing 3-0. Ademola Lookman starred with a hat-trick (12', 26', and 75') at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
Bayer Leverkusen also managed to win the Bundesliga comprehensively, as they finished 17 points clear of second-placed Stuttgart. Speaking after the Europa League final loss, Alonso said (via BBC Sport):
"Atalanta were better than us and they deserved the trophy. It wasn't our day. We've had a bad night. It hurts that it happened in such an important match."
"The normality is not to suffer a first defeat in the 52nd game. It's exceptional what we achieved and we should be proud. But it's painful. We weren't able to play as we wished," he added.
On the night, both teams managed 10 attempts, while the winners created the better opportunities. Seven of Atalanta's shots found the target, while Alonso's men tested the opposition goalkeeper only thrice.
It was the Germans who enjoyed more of the ball (67%), but failed to create much with it. However, they could still add silverware this season, as they've got a DFB Pokal final lined up against FC Kaiserslautern on Saturday (May 25). This game marked Bayer Leverkusen's first defeat since 27 May of last year.
Granit Xhaka provides a hilarious response to a question on Bayer Leverkusen's incredible run
Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka was questioned about how his team looked so confident stepping onto the pitch ahead of the club's Europa League final (May 22).
The Switzerland international responded during the pre-match press conference (via @BeanymanSports):
"We drink blood every morning. We don't feel it anymore."
Xhaka has played a pivotal role in his team's success since joining the Bundesliga outfit from Arsenal in the summer of 2023 for a reported €25 million. He's largely partnered with Exequiel Palacios in a deep-lying midfield role.
This season, the former Gunners man has played 49 matches across competitions, bagging three goals and two assists. He has had a slightly different role from his last season at Arsenal, which saw the 31-year-old given license to get forward and contribute heavily in attack.