Bayer Leverkusen will look to book their place in the Europa League final and maintain their unbeaten record on Thursday evening when they face Roma in the semi-final second leg.
Xabi Alonso’s team has already been crowned Bundesliga champions this season and is in the DFB Cup final without a single defeat. They are still on course for a historic treble and have a 2-0 lead from the first leg in Rome last week thanks to goals from Florian Wirtz and Robert Andrich.
Roma have enjoyed a dramatic upturn in form since Jose Mourinho was replaced on the sidelines by Daniele De Rossi, although they are now winless in three games. They have to do what no other team has managed this season: beat Leverkusen at the BayArena this Thursday while overcoming a two-goal deficit.
Here is 90 minutes Guide to Bayer Leverkusen vs Roma in the Europa League.
Bayer Leverkusen vs. Roma H2H record (last five games)
Current form (all competitions)
|
Bayer Leverkusen |
Roma |
|---|---|
|
Eintracht Frankfurt 1-5 Bayer Leverkusen – 05/05/24 |
Rome – Juventus 1-1 – 05/05/24 |
|
Rome – Bayer Leverkusen 0:2 – 05/02/24 |
Rome – Bayer Leverkusen 0:2 – 05/02/24 |
|
Bayer Leverkusen 2:2 Stuttgart – 04/27/24 |
Naples – Rome 2-2 – 04/28/24 |
|
Borussia Dortmund 1-1 Bayer Leverkusen – 21/04/24 |
Udinese – Rome 1-2 – 04/25/24 |
|
West Ham 1-1 Bayer Leverkusen – 18/04/24 |
Rome – Bologna 1:3 – 04/22/24 |
Bayer Leverkusen have often been lucky this season and appear to have done so ahead of the second leg against Roma, with Alonso not fearing any major fitness problems.
Leverkusen were able to rest several players during the 5-1 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt at the weekend, with players such as Wirtz and Alejandro Grimaldo receiving days off and Victor Boniface and Jeremie Frimpong only appearing on the bench.
Expected lineup of Bayer Leverkusen against Roma (3-4-2-1): Kovar; Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie; Frimpong, Andrich, Xhaka, Grimaldo; Wirtz, Adli; Boniface.
Roma also have a clean bill of health ahead of Leverkusen, although there were concerns after Paulo Dybala was substituted at half-time against his former employers Juventus at the weekend. However, the Argentine should be fit enough to play.
De Rossi didn’t let his key attackers rest in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with the Old Lady, despite rotating his defense heavily. Romelu Lukaku, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Dybala are among the stars who could be crucial at the BayArena.
Predicted line-up for Roma against Bayer Leverkusen (4-3-3): Svilar; Karsdorp, Mancini, Smalling, Spinazzola; Cristante, Paredes, Pellegrini; Dybala, Lukaku, El Shaarawy.
Given Leverkusen’s remarkable record this season, it would be foolish to bet on Roma winning here. The Italians have the potential to cause an upset, but are unlikely to become the first defeaters of the German champions this season.
Leverkusen’s ability to exclude key players at the weekend has made Alonso’s life much easier and his rested side should claim another win on home soil this Thursday.