'Dublin is over', says Alonso as Leverkusen eye German Cup redemption / Photo: Glyn KIRK - AFP
-
Нуша Аубел: управленски провал вместо ново начало — на висотата на поста си ли е кметицата на Потсдам?
-
Noosha Aubel: eșec la conducere în locul unui nou început – este primărița Potsdamului la înălțimea funcției sale?
-
Russia hails Trump waiving sanctions as 'historic'
-
Noosha Aubel: falend leiderschap in plaats van een nieuwe start – is de burgemeester van Potsdam berekend op haar taak?
-
Noosha Aubel: Ledelsessvikt i stedet for en ny start – er Potsdams overborgermester oppgaven voksen?
-
Noosha Aubel: Misslyckat ledarskap i stället för en nystart – är Potsdams överborgmästare vuxen uppgiften?
-
Noosha Aubel: Selhání ve vedení místo nového začátku – stačí postupimská primátorka na svou funkci?
-
Wallabies coach Kiss calls latest All Blacks humbling 'unacceptable'
-
Haze triggers highest-level alert in parts of Southeast Asia: monitor
-
Superstar horse Ka Ying Rising loses first race in 22 starts at The Everest
-
IMF chief flags 'optimism', 'worry' after Bangkok annual meetings
-
Rampant All Blacks crush Wallabies 43-21 to extend dominance
-
IMF chief says has 'optimism' and 'worry' after Bangkok annual meetings
-
All Blacks crush Wallabies 43-21 to extend dominance
-
Hong Kong superstar Ka Ying Rising loses first race in 22 starts at The Everest
-
'No Kings' movement seeks to boost early voting
-
Attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure 'worrying' for outlook: Pakistan finance minister
-
Trump waives new Russia sanctions as Ukraine ties slump
-
Japan says hosting record number of foreigners
-
Tiny Fiji village restores dying fishery with coral planting
-
'Two bad options': Rights groups decry IMF austerity demand
-
North Korea says tested AI-assisted torpedo system
-
Guardians-Rays MLB playoff game postponed until Saturday
-
Did Chinese cars squeal on Norway's military?
-
'We've never had this': Bear sightings spook Russia
-
Guardians-Rays MLB playoff game start delayed by rain
-
Injured Jordie Barrett out of second Bledisloe Cup Test
-
Suspected gunman in Oregon school shooting was 'withdrawn,' neighbors say
-
All contenders for UN chief receive veto: diplomat
-
As Champions Cup opens on mournful note, holders Bordeaux-Begles draw
-
UN climate panel fails to agree date for global warming update: envoy
-
Figueroa loses title at weigh-in but Kameda can win it
-
Stocks struggle to bounce back from AI angst-fueled rout
-
Deforestation in Brazil Amazon hits nearly four-decade low
-
Clashes grip Tirana as Albanian PM blames 'foreign hands'
-
US budget deficit grows to nearly $2 trillion, highest since 2021
-
End of a dynasty? Dodgers digest playoff drubbing
-
Bend grieves after mass shooting: 'Who would do this to little kids?'
-
Troyes sack sporting director Blanchard amid sexism claims
-
'Great hero' praised for saving lives in Oregon school shooting
-
Trump's new press secretary out after less than week
-
Trump's new press secretary looks close to exit after just one week
-
EU backs Ukraine on Starlink, but can't fill gap
-
Trump says armed bystander who killed US school shooter a 'great hero'
-
Itauma coming to terms with Hrgovic heavyweight loss
-
Real Madrid say Tebas must resign over Goebbels comparison
-
NBA tells sportsbooks to ban certain bets and parlays: report
-
Djokovic gets Basel wild card as ATP Finals race heats up
-
US influence, AI and mistrust cloud Alberta independence vote
-
Swiss solar-powered plane altitude record confirmed
'Dublin is over', says Alonso as Leverkusen eye German Cup redemption
Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso said his side would use their pain at the Europa League final loss to Atalanta this week as fuel ahead of Saturday's German Cup final clash with Kaiserslautern.
The 3-0 loss to Atalanta in Dublin on Wednesday was Leverkusen's first defeat since May 2023, ending a record run of 51 games unbeaten.
The manager said the team did not spend too much time dwelling on the result which ended the Bundesliga champions' hopes of a remarkable treble.
"We didn't take long -- our focus is on tomorrow.
"It is over, Dublin is over," the coach said ahead of the season finale.
"It was a long way and finally we're here. After Wednesday, we're ready and focused."
Despite Wednesday's loss, Leverkusen are hot favourites against the second-division side, who narrowly escaped relegation to the third division.
Kaiserslautern, a four-time Bundesliga winner now languishing in the second division, only played one top-flight side on the way to the final -- FC Cologne, who have since been relegated.
Alonso said: "Being favourites means nothing. We need to fight, be well prepared and after Wednesday I have the feeling that our hunger is a bit bigger, because the pain is fresh.
"We need to use it in the right way – to play well tomorrow and to deserve to win it."
Alonso confirmed captain Lukas Hradecky would be in goal for the match, with Matej Kovar preferred in the German Cup and Europa League this season.
Hradecky won the German Cup final with former club Eintracht Frankfurt in 2018 but has lost on two other occasions, once in 2015 and again in 2020 after his move to Leverkusen.
Alonso, who is in his first full season as a manager in the top grade, takes on veteran coach Friedhelm Funkel, who started his career in the dugout in 1989.
Funkel will coach in his third German Cup final, having lost the previous two as manager of Duisburg in 1998 and Eintracht Frankfurt in 2006 -- both times against Bayern Munich.
The 70-year-old was called out of retirement to manage Kaiserslautern in February and said he knew Leverkusen would win the title long before they finally clinched their first ever Bundesliga crown in April.
"I was retired so I had time to watch plenty of Leverkusen games -- I knew they would be champions."
"We've got a mega challenge ahead of us."
"It's indescribable to be here again as a coach. I'm looking forward to it incredibly."
S.F.Warren--AMWN