The Dublin skyline will be adorned with a new stadium by Wednesday, undergoing construction in a timely and budget-friendly manner. It may evoke similarities to the Aviva Stadium, but due to Uefa’s aversion to non-profitable sponsorship, this premise will temporarily adopt the name Dublin Arena to accommodate the Europa League final. The irony lies in the fact that Bayer 04 Leverkusen, one of the limited clubs that have managed to elude Uefa’s restrictions concerning sponsors in their titles, will be participating. Founded in 1904 and named after the pharmaceutical entrepreneur Friedrich Bayer, the club was initially setup as a representation of the Leverkusen-based company’s workforce, leading to its given alias – Die Werkself (The Workforce XI).
Leverkusen is not new to the Dublin turf, having participated in high-profile European championships there before. Twice in 2018 and 2019, it positioned its youth team to compete for the St Kevin’s Boys FC Academy Cup. Leverkusen was also where the 2018 tournament’s best player, Sam Curtis, tested his skills before eventually signing a contract with Sheffield United, where he made his first appearance in the Premier League the past week.
The last time Dublin played host to the Europa League final was back in 2011, during which Porto triumphed over Braga with a single goal in an otherwise lacklustre event. Irish enthusiasts, who spent €150 to be a part of the upcoming Wednesday event, understandably anticipate a thrilling match since Leverkusen’s past qualifications for European finals have always resulted in historic showdowns.
In 1988, Leverkusen staged a comeback, overcoming a 3-0 deficit against Espanyol in the first leg of the Uefa Cup final and eventually winning their only European title through penalty shootout. Then in 2002, the club made history by advancing to a Champions League final without previously winning the national championship, falling short in a close 2-1 loss to Real Madrid at Hampden Park. This was propelled by an unforgettable volley goal from Zinedine Zidane.
The term “Neverkusen”, born from Leverkusen’s infamous position as second-best in the 2002 Bundesliga season, has long haunted the German team. After falling short in the Bundesliga, the German Cup and the Champions League, it’s reputation for near misses was further reinforced at the summer’s World Cup where the team, including captain Michael Ballack, managed to come second to Brazil, following a group stage draw with Ireland.
A solitary German Cup victory prior to the current season in 1993 is Leverkusen’s only domestic triumph in its 120-year history. However, the fortunes of this previously two-time championship-winning team seem to be on the verge of turning spectacular due to the contributions of manager Xabi Alonso. Alonso took the reins as a rookie senior manager in October 2022 with Leverkusen languishing near the foot of the table.
Fast forward twenty months, Leverkusen are celebrating a debut league title, having concluded the only undefeated season in Bundesliga’s history. The team also managed to secure a spot in both the Europa League and the German Cup finals under Alonso’s guidance. Alonso’s success has made him a sought-after figure in global football management, with offers from former teams Liverpool and Bayern Munich gracefully turned down.
Alonso’s connection to Ireland trace back to a summer spent learning English in Kells during his childhood. He was instrumental in Spain’s 4-0 victory over Ireland, a team including John O’Shea, at the Euro 2012. Though a long-standing rumour suggests Alonso possess both World Cup and All-Ireland winner’s medals due to his stint playing GAA in Meath, there’s no concrete proof that he ever took part in or won a national championship.
Leverkusen is more than merely the underdog they’re regularly depicted as. In German football, the “50+1” rule, which favours fans by mandating that the lion’s share of shares be in the hands of club members as opposed to external shareholders, is in effect. Notwithstanding, Bayer AG’s €50 billion yearly revenues attributed to products like aspirin, the company’s origins as Leverkusen’s work team grants them an exception. The considerable financial support ensures the club’s monetary problems are promptly taken care of.
While Leverkusen hasn’t been labelled as a club looking to buy its way to the top, it’s had a remarkable ability in the transfer market that might even get the envious attention of King Midas. The acquisition of Nathan Tella, Victor Boniface and Granit Xhaka last summer was equalled by the sale of Moussa Diaby to Aston Villa for €55 million. Additional vital signings like Josip Stanisic, on loan from Bayern Munich, and the impressive Alejandro Grimaldo, brought over from Benfica without cost, didn’t dent the club’s budget.
Anyone suggesting Leverkusen lacks star players hasn’t been tracking the stunning career of Florian Wirtz, procured from Cologne at 16 years old for a mere €200,000. He scored his first goal for Germany against France in March, only seven seconds into the game, marking it as the second-quickest goal in the history of international football.
However, the cornerstone of Leverkusen’s historic 51-game unbeaten stretch was late goals, not early ones. Seventeen goals were netted in the injury time of the second half, inspiring commentator Ian Darke’s idea for a new television programme called “Even Later with Bayer Leverkusen”.
Additionally, Leverkusen is enticing its followers with an unusual clubtime incentive: a complimentary Bayer 04 club tattoo to commemorate this phenomenal season.
So, at Wednesday’s Uefa-designated Leverkusen Fan Meeting Point in Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium, there’s likely to be a proudly displayed array of new tattoos, celebrating the best season in the history of a distinctly exceptional club which shows no signs of falling into obscurity anytime soon.