Bayer Leverkusen seeks revenge on Roma in Europa League last four football news

Bayer Leverkusen are set for revenge on Thursday when they travel to a second Europa League semi-final against Roma in as many years, after another late escape kept their remarkable unbeaten run intact. Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen staff were filmed celebrating Roma’s upset of AC Milan in the last eight, and Thursday’s first leg at the Stadio Olimpico is a chance to refresh the memory of being ‘Mournhoed’ in last season’s last four . Already a formidable proposition last term, Leverkusen’s astonishing run of 46 matches without defeat and a first-ever Bundesliga title has made them favorites to reach the final in Dublin.

And the team that broke Bayern Munich’s dominance of German football will be looking to avenge the 1-0 aggregate defeat that Roma suffered in a painful penalty shoot-out to Sevilla in last season’s final.

“We have a desire for revenge and a tremendous hunger to win and get ourselves to the final,” Leverkusen CEO Fernando Corro told Radio Marca.

“We want to reach the final at all costs.”

Leverkusen has conceded 16 goals in stoppage time in all competitions this season, the latest coming in the 96th minute of a 2-2 draw with Stuttgart on Saturday.

And it is their knack for attacking late that has taken them back to the Europa League semi-finals, with former Roma player Patrik Schick scoring three times in extra time and two more late in a 5–4 win against Qarabag in the last-16 The goals scored helped them advance. West Ham in the quarter-finals.

After Robert Andrich snatched a point in Stuttgart, coach Alonso said his team’s ability to get results in the death overs was “difficult to explain” but he hoped it would continue for the rest of the campaign.

“Our main objective was to become champions, but now we don’t want to stop,” Alonso told Sky.

“The goal is clear. We want to remain undefeated until the end of the season.”

‘Unbeatable, not unbeatable’

Roma saved a point of their own at Napoli on Sunday thanks to a late goal from Tammy Abraham, the England international striker’s first in over a year after being sidelined with a knee injury.

While Leverkusen can focus on Europe, Daniele De Rossi’s team have put in frantic performances over the past few weeks as they look to top Serie A to take advantage of gaining an extra spot in next year’s Champions League and a third continental final in as many years. Are struggling to keep the goal of.

Roma are undoubtedly tired after reaching the last four by winning the Italian derby with Milan, the Rome derby was preceded by a tie and then directly followed by clashes with top five rivals Bologna and Napoli, as well as their win at Udinese , which had to be done. Will be played in two acts following the on-pitch collapse of Ivan Ndika.

And their next two league matches are away to Juventus and Atalanta – who are two points behind Roma – making the next fortnight a crucial one for De Rossi, who has spent much of his time at his boyhood club since replacing Jose Mourinho in January. Have given.

“I’ve got players who are trying to get something out of this season,” De Rossi told DAZN after the Napoli draw.

“We know it is going to be difficult… We have to find the results we need to get to the Champions League or win the Europa League.”

De Rossi will be boosted by the return of Romelu Lukaku alongside Paulo Dybala after the Belgian striker recovered from a thigh problem.

Also back is Chris Smalling, who missed out on the loan spell at Napoli with a groin injury, and midfield lynchpin Leandro Paredes, who was suspended for a tough clash at the weekend.

“We have to be perfect, because if they never lose and have the heart to score in the last seconds it means they have something special,” De Rossi said.

“They’re invincible, but they’re not unbeatable.”

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