EBayer Leverkusen had to endure a difficult second half in the historic Stadio Olimpico on the banks of the Tiber, during which a major defeat was threatened. In this respect, the Rhinelanders can be happy that after AS Roma’s 1-0 win over the Werkself there is still a good chance of reaching the final of the Europa League with a successful second leg next week. In the parallel game, Juventus and FC Sevilla drew 1-1.
“The defeat hurts,” Alonso told TV broadcaster RTL, adding: “We know there’s a second game next week. They have an advantage but if you want to reach a final you usually have to score.”
“We still have hope”
Bayer goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky said: “The Romans were more dangerous in the second half. At the front it was a bit too little for my taste. 1-0 is not the best result. But it could have been worse.” And further: “We felt that we could beat them. We still have hope.” And young star Florian Wirtz said: “It’s not an impossible task for the second leg. It’s a bit of a shame. We keep our heads up. We know it’s not over yet. We are now better prepared after the game.”
It was a highly intense game in Rome that was decided by a small mistake by Leverkusen. The goal of the evening was scored by Edoardo Bove, who was born in Rome, after just over an hour. The game had started very well for the Bundesliga club. After just 44 seconds, Leverkusen ended a fine attack with a shot by Robert Andrich from an excellent position in the Romans’ penalty area. The Leverkusen midfielder didn’t hit the ball cleanly, but the scene served as an early signal of strength in this atmospheric arena.
Wirtz just misses the target
That was the start of an excellent initial phase in which Florian Wirtz had a second big opportunity. The 20-year-old national player skilfully asserted himself on the edge of the penalty area and, after a one-two with Adam Hlozek, shot just a few centimeters past the Romans’ goal. With that, coach Xabi Alonso’s team proved for the first time that the Spanish football coach had prepared his team well for this duel with José Mourinho’s Romans.
At Real Madrid, Alonso had been a player under the legendary Portuguese for years, who was the only coach to ever win the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League. “Of course it will be something special for me,” Alonso had said before the game about the encounter with Mourinho, while the latter explained: “During the game I will forget who I am, who he is.”
Alonso has to change early
But this game was still a coaching duel, in which the Romans gradually recovered from these first strong Leverkusen actions. A free-kick from Lorenzo Pellegrini gave Roger Ibanez a chance to head the ball, but Leverkusen goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky saved the ball well (19′). That was the end of a very intense beginning, which was then followed by a rather confused phase.
Players with injuries were often left on the pitch, and Leverkusen’s Odilon Kossounou had to be replaced by Mitchel Bakker with a muscle injury (36′). The game had now become a duel characterized by caution, tactics and risk assessment.
Mourinho is known for his ability to make great successes possible with a lot of pragmatism, beyond all joy in offensive and artistic moments. But Alonso knows from his time as a player under this coach exactly how Mourinho teams work, who like to let the opponent have the ball and lurk for counterattacks instead of making the game themselves.
Leverkusen as mature as flexible
In the 20 minutes before the half-time break, the audience saw a game in which they could guess why Alonso should have aroused the interest of big clubs in England and Spain such as Tottenham Hotspur or Real Madrid and certainly some others.
Because the mature and flexible performance that Leverkusen were able to do for about an hour in this big game made an impression. For a whole half, the Rhinelanders hadn’t allowed a single goal opportunity from the game. But at some point the game began to tip more and more in the direction of the Romans, who now acted more precisely, energetically and confidently, and finally took the lead.
Edmond Tapsoba lost a duel after a long ball, which AS Roma used to make it 1-0. Lukas Hradecky fended off Tammy Abraham’s first attempt to finish, and Bove put the follow-up shot into the Werkself goal to make it 1-0 (63′).
Bayer Leverkusen only had a very dangerous offensive action when Jeremie Frimpong scored Bryan Cristante on the line of the Roman goal (87′), but above all the Werkself remained relatively stable defensively even in the best phase of the Italians and eventually freed themselves again a little out of pressure. They take that as a success into the second leg, where all the bases for a very big European night are in place. With a completely uncertain outcome, there is no favorite after this first leg.
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