Bayer Leverkusen’s dream of Europa League triumph was shattered by José Mourinho’s Roman defense. In the second leg of the semi-finals, the Bundesliga club ran passionately and courageously, but also unsuccessfully, and were eliminated 0-0 by AS Roma. Leverkusen lost the first leg 0-1 last week.
On the 35th anniversary of the club’s greatest success in the UEFA Cup, Bayer missed their third final appearance in a European Cup after just 1988 and 2002. In addition, the Bundesliga will not be represented in any of the finals this year, Bayer was the last German club in one of the international competitions. And must now hope to at least qualify through the league for Europe in the new season. The current seventh place two games before the end of the season would only be enough for the Conference League. And only if RB Leipzig wins the cup final against Eintracht Frankfurt.
Mourinho, on the other hand, prevailed in the coaching duel against his former player Xabi Alonso and can become the sole record holder in terms of European Cup victories in the final on May 31 in Budapest. So far he leads the rankings with five titles in the various competitions, along with former Bayern coach Giovanni Trapattoni.
striving team
Leverkusen’s captain and goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky had announced a “bigger witch’s cauldron” before the game than in Rome the week before. And the Bayer fans went to great lengths to support this daring thesis. Several thousand greeted the team bus at 7:20 p.m. at the entrance to the stadium in red shirts and with numerous Bengalos.
Before the game there was a big choreo. And during the game, the fans basically sang through it and actually created an impressive and semi-final-worthy atmosphere.
Mourinho’s composure
And the team struggled to deliver the early goal they were hoping for. The first attempts by Kerem Demirbay (8th) and Moussa Diaby (9th) were rather harmless, but then Diaby hit the bar from a tight angle after a nice pass from Florian Wirtz (12th). On the edge of the field, Alonso experienced the game intensively, he ran up and down, directed wildly and loudly. On the other hand, Mourinho demonstratively exuded composure a few meters to the left, mostly with his hands in his pockets, he only moved a few meters to the left and right.
At the break, 12:1 shots on goal and 74 percent ball possession were statistical witnesses to Leverkusen’s dominance. But apart from Diaby’s shot into the crossbar, most of the scoring chances came from long-range shots, which sometimes posed a little more and sometimes less danger. What caused the greatest excitement was a scene in the 37th minute when Roma defender Bryan Cristante was the last man to pull Sardar Azmoun’s arm. All of Leverkusen demanded a red card, but referee Slavko Vincic from Slovenia allowed play to continue.
Immediately after the break, the Bayer fans caused the game to be interrupted for almost two minutes with a pyro show because of the smoke. Mourinho made another defensive change at half-time. Above all, however, the guests succeeded with increasing success in interrupting the flow of the game with small nods. And Leverkusen became more and more hectic in view of the time running away. Azmoun (81st) missed another big chance.
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