Bayer Leverkusen edge closer to Dublin as another record | football news

Xabi Alonso’s fiery Bayer Leverkusen will get an extra incentive in Thursday’s Europa League semi-final second leg against Roma: breaking a 59-year-old European football record. Avoiding defeat against Roma on Thursday would not only mean a trip to Dublin for the Europa League final, but it would also extend their unbeaten streak to 49 matches – the best mark in European football history. Benfica, inspired by Eusébio, went on a 48-game unbeaten streak between 1963 and 1965. That record has stood ever since, but Leverkusen have a golden opportunity to blow it out of the water.

Alonso’s team has already surpassed Juventus’ 43-match unbeaten streak from 2011 to 2012, which was the best performance by a team in the top five European leagues.

Leverkusen won 2-0 in Rome last week and could reach the final even with a one-goal defeat, but breaking the record would be another excellent achievement in an already brilliant season.

‘I can tell my grandchildren’

Speaking after Leverkusen equaled Benfica’s record with a 5-1 win at Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday, Leverkusen goalkeeper and captain Lukas Hradecky said chasing an unbeaten season had given his team “extra motivation” .

“It’s close,” Hradecky said after the game, “I can tell my granddaughter and grandson about this.”

The Finn was referring to the league season, where Leverkusen have two more games to become the first team to go through a Bundesliga campaign without defeat, but Leverkusen are just five matches away from an unbeatable treble.

Even with Alonso forced to watch from the stands due to a yellow card suspension, Leverkusen had no trouble against Frankfurt.

Leverkusen, crowned Bundesliga champions for the first time in April, has reached the German Cup final where they will face second division Kaiserslautern.

A meeting with Atalanta or Marseille will be set up in the Europa League final in Dublin on Thursday to avoid defeat.

Before the start of the season, Leverkusen had only two major trophies in their history. With the Bundesliga already under their control, Alonso’s team could more than double their historic trophy haul in the Spaniard’s first full season in charge of the top team.

Former Leverkusen coach and sporting director Rudi Voeller said on Thursday that the call to appoint Alonso was “bold and bold” as well as a “right decision”.

Speaking with Koellner Stadt-Anzeiger, Voeller praised the depth of Leverkusen’s “excellent team”.

“It’s rare in the football business that you find strong not only in the top positions, but also in the areas behind them. That’s the secret why Bayer is still unbeaten.

“The treble is still possible. But no matter what happens, it’s still an excellent season.”

Wirtz, Grimaldo will return

Leverkusen have managed to continue their excellent performance despite Alonso’s decision to rest his players.

Attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz and wing-back Alex Grimaldo were left out of the squad entirely on Sunday.

“They had received small complaints in the last few days. We didn’t want to take any risks,” said Alonso.

“They will train again from Tuesday.”

Leverkusen scored five despite missing Wirtz, their attacking midfield lynchpin, and support machine Grimaldo.

Wirtz has four goals and four assists in nine Europa League games this season, including a goal in the first leg in Rome.

“He is still 21 years old and has a very good future,” said Alonso after the Roma game. Wirtz celebrated his 21st birthday at midnight, just an hour after the match ended, with the team celebrating with the midfielder in the dressing room.

With the team close to full strength and playing at home for the second-last time this season, breaking Benfica’s record on Thursday could be the next step in a great future for Wirtz and Leverkusen.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)