Bayern Leverkusen will travel to the Stadio Olimpico in Italy for the first leg of the UEFA Europa League against Roma. The German side are on the high of having won their first Bundesliga title since 1979. They are unbeaten in 46 games and seem to be unstoppable at the moment. However, Leverkusen will be up against a Roma team that has broken their hearts before.
The two teams met in the UEFA Europa League last year and it was the Italian side that came out on top. In a master vs apprentice game that saw Jose Mourinho go up against his former player Xabi Alonso, it was the serial winner, Mourinho who came out on top with a 1-0 win on aggregate. However, that was the last time that Bayern Leverkusen ever lost a game in Europe as they have won all their games in their Europa League campaign so far.
Roma are now coached by Daniele De Rossi, who has been a great presence on the touchline since taking over the reins from Jose Mourinho. The former Roma player has done a sensational job and will now be looking to lead the team to their third consecutive European final. They came into the Semi-Final after beating their Italian opponent – AC Milan in the Quarter-Final stage. Brimming on confidence from that success, Roma will be looking to do what no other team has done and beat Bayern Leverkusen in this game at home.
All eyes are going to be on Bayern Leverkusen
Bayern Leverkusen are having a dream season, which any team in the world would love to have. They are just a few games away from completing an invincible season, which would put them among the very best teams in football history. Having already secured the Bundesliga, Leverkusen also have the DFB Pokal and Europa League that could be clinched in the next month.
Xabi Alonso has lifted the spirits of the team and given them a new identity since taking over as their head coach. He has decided to stay with Bayern Leverkusen for another year, which is great news for the team. The Spanish coach has groomed players like Florian Wirtz, Victor Boniface, Grimaldo and Jeremie Frimpong into world-class talents.
The game against Roma is going to be an interesting one as the Italian side are defensively resolute. They have some quality players in attack that could surprise the opposition with a counter-attack. However, Bayern Leverkusen have played all kinds of opponents this season. They have been down by a goal and sometimes even two, but they have never loosened their guard. The German side always finds a way to come back into the game and that is what makes them special.
They will certainly be looking to come out against the Roma side all guns blazing. If Bayern let the Italian side settle into the game, it could prove to be costly for them as their counterparts have a few experienced campaigners who could make things difficult for them.
