Bayer Leverkusen two wins from invincibility but Atalanta can rip up the script

“We have been preparing for this moment all year; it is not just a two-day job,” said Alonso.

IRISH BLESSING: Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso reacts during a training session at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin ahead of the UEFA Europa League final. Photo credit: Niall Carson/PA Wire.

In a Europa League that’s second fiddle to Champions League, Xabi Alonso is content to keep strumming sweet music.

He’ll be part of the senior competition next season regardless of whether second part of a potential treble is completed in Wednesday’s final but knowing he’s involved without absconding has Bayer Leverkusen on the ideal wavelength for their big night.