Xabi Alonso, the coach of Bayer Leverkusen, believes that his team is worthy of winning all three titles available this season. This statement came from their impressive performance during the Europa League semifinal against AS Roma on Thursday.
The Bundesliga champions and finalists of the German Cup on May 25, broke Benfica’s European record with their 49th consecutive match without defeat across all competitions. Leverkusen secured their spot in the Europa League final in Dublin on May 22 after making a late comeback to draw 2-2 with Roma and winning 4-2 on aggregate.
After the match, Alonso praised his players’ character and desire to succeed. Leverkusen’s lucky break came when Roma defender Gianluca Mancini deflected the ball into his own net in the 82nd minute, leading to a late equalizer by substitute Josip Stanisic.
Stanisic, describing this moment as one of the highlights of his career, expressed the team’s determination to reach the final. Despite the chance to progress even if they had lost, Leverkusen’s primary goal was clear.
Unfortunately for Roma, the opportunity to reach their second consecutive Europa League final slipped away in the dying moments of the match. Manager Daniele De Rossi expressed disappointment at conceding a late goal after a spirited comeback from his team.