Bundesliga champions, Bayer Leverkusen, riding a 51-game unbeaten streak, will face Atalanta in Wednesday's Europa League final in Dublin.

Xabi Alonso's men aim to secure the second leg of a historic treble, while Serie A side Atalanta seek their first-ever European trophy.

Once derisively called "Neverkusen" after finishing runners-up in the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and Champions League in 2001-02, Bayer Leverkusen have rewritten their legacy this season in spectacular fashion.

When Alonso took over less than two years ago, Die Werkself were languishing in the bottom half of the table.

Now, they have surged to the top, completing an "invincible" 34-game Bundesliga campaign with a victory over Augsburg last week.

Leverkusen, previously five-time Bundesliga runners-up, ended Bayern Munich's 11-year dominance by finishing with 90 points and finally claiming the Meisterschale.

Under Spanish young coach, Alonso, Leverkusen have been an attacking powerhouse, scoring 135 goals in all competitions while conceding only 39.

Yet, the Rhine club can still add more to this historic season.

Having already secured the Bundesliga title, Leverkusen now eye their second European trophy since the 1988 UEFA Cup.

Success in Dublin would set them up for a potential treble, with the DFB-Pokal final against Kaiserslautern just three days later.

Renowned for their resilience and ability to score crucial late goals, Die Werkself's Europa League journey has been marked by a never-say-die spirit, saving their continental adventure from early exits.

Trailing Qarabag 2-0 in both last-16 legs, Leverkusen fought back to progress, before stunning semifinal opponents Roma with a dramatic 97th-minute strike from Josip Stanisic to seal their comeback.

In the quarterfinals, Leverkusen overcame reigning Conference League champions West Ham United.

They had previously cruised through the group stage with a flawless six wins from six, setting them up to potentially become just the fourth team to lift the trophy unbeaten.

Atalanta's last clash with Leverkusen was in the 2021-22 Europa League, where they won 3-2 at home but lost by a single goal in Germany.

However, the stakes will be far higher on Wednesday evening.

After seeing off Marseille in the semis, topping Group D, and eliminating both new Portuguese champions Sporting and Premier League giants Liverpool, La Dea dream of claiming glory in their first-ever European final.

Now the 11th different Italian team to reach a continental final, Atalanta could become the first Serie A side to win the Europa League if they can avoid stumbling at the last hurdle.

Under the guidance of revered coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who arrived in Lombardy eight years ago, Atalanta have been transformed into regulars on the European stage, once achieving an impressive run of three consecutive Champions League qualifications.

Despite this success, the 66-year-old tactician has yet to lift any silverware.

His team recently lost the Coppa Italia final to Juventus for the second time in four years, marking his third overall defeat in the cup's Rome finale.

Gasperini will walk out in Dublin as the oldest manager to take charge of his first European final, while relative newcomer Xabi Alonso is the youngest coach to lead a UEFA finalist since 2012.

While only Serie A champions Inter Milan have posted a higher goal rate during the second half of the season, Atalanta have been more cautious in continental competition, facing only 2.8 shots on target per game in the Europa League so far – the lowest ratio of any side to participate.

La Dea kept another clean sheet last weekend, following a crucial victory over Roma with a 2-0 win against Lecce.

Forward pair Charles De Ketelaere and Gianluca Scamacca were on target at Via del Mare, securing both a top-five finish and a coveted Champions League return.

Already a beloved figure in Bergamo, if 'Gasp' can shake off the tag of nearly-man and help Atalanta win their first major trophy since 1963 – beating the brilliant Leverkusen on the way – it would cement his status as an all-time great among Nerazzurri fans.

Xabi Alonso has the luxury of selecting from his fully-fit Bundesliga-winning squad for the final.

For Atalanta, the attacking trio of Charles De Ketelaere, Ademola Lookman, and Teun Koopmeiners pose significant threats, but the main striker role in Dublin will likely go to Gianluca Scamacca.

However, the Serie A outfit faces some injury concerns.

Emil Holm is out with a calf injury, and experienced skipper Marten De Roon will miss the match due to a thigh strain from the Coppa Italia final.

Club captain Rafael Toloi and defender Sead Kolasinac are both doubtful.