Atalanta vs Bayer Leverkusen Bet Builder Tips: 5/1 Treble for UEL Final

The Europa League Final is upon us as we have Serie A vs the Bundesliga, with the story continuing to be the outstanding season from Bayer Leverkusen. Can they keep it going?

This one is on TNT Sports 1 from 20:00 on Wednesday evening and we've asked our Serie A expert Daniele Fisichella to put together his Atalanta vs Bayer Leverkusen Bet Builder Tips for us as he's got a 5/1 shot for you to consider...

The Italian side could win their first ever European honour and interrupt, at the same time, Leverkusen 51-matches unbeaten run.

For the Bundesliga champions, who have already won this trophy back in 1988, the one in Dublin is the first one of two cup finals as they’re aiming to cap off their sensational season with a treble.

No Serie A club has ever lifted the Europa League and Leverkusen prevented the Dublin showdown from being an all-Italy affair by knocking out Roma last month. Can Xabi Alonso’s men continue to make history?

Over 2.5 Goals

This is Atalanta’s biggest game of their history and comes a week after their defeat in the Coppa Italia final against Juventus. Unlike before last Wednesday’s game at the ‘Stadio Olimpico’, this time the Bergamaschi are not favourite to win and they might relish their underdog status.

The 1-0 defeat against Juve remains the only match, in the last nine, when Atalanta failed to score. After conceding the opening goal, after a couple of minutes, the Orobici almost looked petrified and were not able to get into their stride.

Juve executed their game plan to defend the lead, something that the Germans wouldn’t probably do, at least not with the same monolithic mind-set of Allegri’s men, even if in Dublin they’ll score first.

Since March Atalanta has been in excellent form, as they won nine out of 13 games in all competitions, and could get some joy in the gaps that Leverkusen, due to their style of play, will inevitably leave.

Xabi Alonso’s men, who, from the very beginning, looked like the team to beat in this competition, have won 42 out of 51 games so far and have failed score on just one occasion.

In the last three months, a flurry of late goals and unbelievable comebacks added more narrative to Leverkusen’ invincibility aura.

But, as Qarabag, Roma and a couple of Bundesliga sides, have recently demonstrated, Leverkusen are not invulnerable.

Certainly the Werkself are intense, resilient and have the ability to mould themselves on the opposition.

Under Alsonso Leverkusen have flourished against those teams that go toe-to-toe with them and Atalanta are conscious that their hopes of lifting the trophy mainly rely on how well they’ll link up front.

Because given Gasperini’s side defensive record, only three clean sheets in the last 11 in all competitions, it is unlikely they’ll manage to keep such a fine side at bay for 90 minutes or more.

Over 6.5 Corners

This promises to be the most fascinating tie among all the three European finals.

Two clubs that for recent history and titles won do not belong to the elite but that have demonstrated that victory and entertainment are not opposite concepts.

It’s logical to forecast that the winner of this match will be the team that will have more quality and composure on the final third of the pitch.

It’s unlikely that on such a big stage, both managers, Gasperini and Alonso, will negate the very same principles that have helped their teams to climb the national and international ranks.

Therefore, it will be a final with plenty of attacking sequences and shots, with defences often stretched, last ditch tackles and miracolous saves from both goalkeepers.

Bayer Leverkusen have fired off a tournament-leading 234 goal attempts (84 on target) this season and Atalanta have had 160 shots (64 on target).

No surprise the Germans are top in the Europa League for corners taken (70, average 5.83 x game) with Atalanta in third position with 61 (average just more than 5 each game).

Matteo Ruggieri To Be Carded

Both sides are very comfortable with their 3-4-2-1 system that allows them to build from the back and occupy spaces in the opposition half in numbers.

Leverkusen excel at finding the free man on the wing, and their intricate web of passes is aimed at freeing up either Grimaldo or Frimpong in a one-to-one situation.

Atalanta have been using wing-backs for years, as those players represent the element of unpredictability of Gasperini’s formation.

Leverkusen have had 12 different goalscorers in the Europa League and, whether they’ll play with Florian Wirtz as ‘false-nine’ or behind the central striker (probably Shick), they’ll try to suck Atalanta’s back three out of their positions to then switch the play to one of their wide men.

Alejandro Grimaldo has provided five assists in the Europa League but Jeremie Frimpong has been more of a goal threat.

The Dutch right wing-back has got 14 goals and 12 assists to his name in all competitions and in both legs against Roma has had multiple opportunities to score.

Probably Frimpong represents Leverkusen’s main threat in transition and the player against whom Atalanta’s defence might struggle the most.

The Germans can suffocate opponents with their possession, but also hurt teams with quick changes of pace.

In fact, at least three players have received a card in four of Leverkusen’s last five European games and the vast majority of these sanctions have been given to defenders.

21-year-old Matteo Ruggeri will be deployed on the same side as Frimpong and it is likely he’ll spend most of the game chasing after the Leverkusen player.

This has been Ruggeri’s first full season as a regular starter in Gasperini’s XI and he’s probably the less experienced player among the ones that are expected to start the final.

Three of his four bookings this season have come in big matches (against Lazio, Roma and Liverpool).

Last season Ruggeri has also received three yellow cards but in only 15 Serie A games of which he started just eight.

Daniele Fisichella primarily covers Serie A football for us here at Betfred Insights. You can check out all of his Football Betting Tips here each week, along with those of our other Football writers...