Bayer Leverkusen have been warned in no uncertain terms that West Ham have a very special incentive to beat them.
If you listen to some in the media West Ham needn’t bother turning up for their Europa League quarter-final tie with Bayer Leverkusen.
The Hammers head to Germany tomorrow to play the first leg on Thursday night before hoping to make the most of home advantage at the London Stadium in the second leg a week later.
When the last eight draw was made, the Hammers were labelled big underdogs.
With Xabi Alonso’s side unbeaten across all competitions at the time and on course to win the Bundesliga title, that was understandable.
Nothing has changed on that front with Bayer Leverkusen going into the game against West Ham 41 games unbeaten across all competitions all season long.
Daunting task awaits West Ham in Leverkusen
That has left them 16 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga and they will seal the title with victory this Sunday.
There is no doubt David Moyes and his West Ham side face a daunting task.
Especially without key midfield star Edson Alvarez and top scorer Jarrod Bowen too after he was ruled out for up to three weeks.
But there has been a feeling among many West Ham fans that their team could rise to the occasion of being the first to inflict defeat on the Germans.
And given the gulf between most Premier League and German sides, many West Ham fans feel they are being written off too soon by the media. That’s despite being beaten 4-0 by Bayer in pre-season – albeit before the Hammers had made any of their excellent summer signings.
Now Bayer Leverkusen are warned that West Ham have a very special incentive to beat them.
German invincibles warned West Ham have special incentive
Hammers captain Kurt Zouma has been speaking ahead of the clash.
The skipper says he has been dreaming of lifting the Europa League trophy. And Zouma has told the Germans that he and his West Ham teammates very much want to become the first team to beat them.
“Getting my hands on the trophy and lifting it would be awesome,” Zouma told West Ham’s official website.
“It’s something you dream of as a child…
“We know it’s going to be very tough, but that would have been the case against any of the teams we could have drawn at this stage of the competition.
“They haven’t lost for a long time now, but it’s up to us to be the team to change that. We need to beat the best if we want to get through and go all the way, and that’s what we’ll be trying to do.
“We won the Conference League last year, and we got to the Europa League semi-finals the season before, so we have a lot of experience and belief. Listen we know what we’re capable of, and we’ll go to Leverkusen full of belief.”
Hammers always relish spoiling the party
Zouma is right to be bullish.
West Ham have showed they can compete with the very best over the last few years and are mixing it with the Premier League’s top sides on a regular basis.
The Hammers also have a long history of spoiling the party and upsetting the odds.
Just ask Arsenal who were overwhelming favourites to beat then Division Two West Ham in the 1980 FA Cup final. Sir Trevor Brooking had other ideas.
Ask Man United and Spurs fans too who have seen the Hammers wreck their league title and Champions League dreams in the past.