Leverkusen's win in Rome came after Romelu Lukaku hit the crossbar, and their star players Florian Wirtz and Robert Andrich capitalized on the opportunities. The victory was a solid step toward the final in Dublin later this month, with the Bundesliga champions now just 90 minutes away from sealing the deal.
Leverkusen is on an impressive run, having won nine of their 11 Europa League matches this season. The Bundesliga winners are also closing in on a historic treble, with a trip to the DFB-Pokal final on the horizon and an undefeated streak in the Bundesliga that's stretched to 48 games. Their recent 5-1 thrashing of Eintracht Frankfurt extended that streak, and they've now matched Benfica's longstanding European record.
As if that wasn't enough, their coach Xabi Alonso has committed to staying with the team for at least another year, setting the stage for Leverkusen's first Europa League final appearance. This could be the year they add a significant trophy to their cabinet, with the added motivation of becoming the first team to complete an unbeaten Bundesliga campaign.
On the flip side, Roma has a tough road ahead if they hope to make a comeback. Despite a home loss to Leverkusen, they're not out of the fight for a third straight European final. Last year, they beat Leverkusen in the semi-final under Jose Mourinho, though they ultimately fell to Sevilla in the final.
Now, under new coach Daniele De Rossi, they've managed just four losses in 22 matches, but their recent form has been shaky. They've dropped to sixth in Serie A, tied on points with Atalanta, who have a game in hand.
De Rossi has extended his contract into next season, but a recent 1-1 draw with Juventus shows they might be struggling to maintain their top-five spot. Roma's best shot at reaching the Champions League could be winning the Europa League, but to get there, they'll need an impressive turnaround against Leverkusen on Thursday. It's not impossible, but it's definitely a tall order.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Xabi Alonso made significant changes to his starting lineup for the match against Frankfurt, rotating eight players from the team that played in Italy. But for the crucial second leg against Roma, he'll likely revert to a more familiar setup.Alonso doesn't have to worry about injuries or suspensions, so he's expected to bring back key players like Jonathan Tah, Jeremie Frimpong, Alex Grimaldo, and others to the starting eleven.
Florian Wirtz, who took a breather over the weekend, is set to return as well. After scoring in the first leg, the young German forward has now tallied 12 Europa League goals at just 20 years old. Despite his impressive start, he's still chasing Romelu Lukaku, who has seven goals in this season's competition and 27 overall.
Lukaku will likely lead Roma's attack, with support from Paulo Dybala and Stephan El Shaarawy, provided Dybala is fit. He had to leave Sunday's match against his former team, Juventus, due to a minor muscle issue.
Roma will also welcome back Zeki Celik, who missed the first leg due to suspension. This means Rasmus Kristensen, who's not on Roma's UEFA squad list, will sit out. Leonardo Spinazzola and Chris Smalling could also return to bring experience and a steady presence to Roma's backline.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Bayer Leverkusen possible starting lineup:Kovar; Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie; Frimpong, Andrich, Xhaka, Grimaldo; Wirtz, Adli; Schick
Roma possible starting lineup:
Svilar; Celik, Mancini, Smalling, Spinazzola; Cristante, Paredes, Pellegrini; Dybala, Lukaku, El Shaarawy
EXPERT PREDICTION
Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 AS Roma
Sure, Roma has gained a lot of experience from their recent runs in Europe, but Xabi Alonso's well-oiled Leverkusen team will likely find a way to get the job done and book their spot in the Europa League final.
