Roma emerged from an all-Italian showdown in the quarter-finals, eliminating AC Milan. After securing a narrow lead at San Siro in the first leg, they followed up with a 2-1 victory at home, thanks to goals from Gianluca Mancini and Paulo Dybala. Even after Zeki Celik was sent off, Roma held on, progressing to their third straight European final. This time, however, it will be without former manager Jose Mourinho, who was let go earlier in the season.
Last year, Mourinho's Roma squeezed past Leverkusen in the semis with a 1-0 aggregate win, only to lose to Sevilla in the final. Despite a recent Europa Conference League title, they are still chasing Serie A glory. Roma’s new coach, Daniele De Rossi, has made an impressive start, winning 13 out of 20 games since taking over in January.
He recently extended his contract and aims to close the season with some silverware and a top-five finish in Serie A, ensuring Champions League football for next season.
Roma currently sits in fifth place, just ahead of Atalanta, but they’re still battling for their European ambitions after a 2-2 draw in last week's Derby del Sole. A late equalizer from Tammy Abraham was needed to secure a point against Napoli, and a recent loss to Bologna has kept the pressure on.
Leverkusen, on the other hand, has had a phenomenal domestic season. After drawing 2-2 with Stuttgart last weekend, they clinched the Bundesliga title with weeks to spare.
This result extended their incredible unbeaten streak to 46 matches, including 38 wins. Their run also includes a 1-1 draw against West Ham in the Europa League quarter-finals, earning them a spot in the semi-finals with a late goal from Jeremie Frimpong.
Leverkusen’s record-breaking season has seen them set new club marks for points and goals, thanks to the guidance of Xabi Alonso. With an upcoming DFB-Pokal final against Kaiserslautern, Leverkusen could end up with a historic treble. They’re also in contention to complete an undefeated Bundesliga campaign, a feat never achieved before.
Both De Rossi and Alonso have confirmed they will stay with their clubs for at least another season, setting the stage for a fascinating tactical battle over the next week. The first leg in Rome is bound to be intense, with both teams eager to gain the upper hand in this high-stakes semi-final encounter.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Roma will have to adjust their defense for this Europa League semi-final, as right-back Zeki Celik is suspended after his red card in the quarter-final second leg against Milan. On the bright side, Bryan Cristante is back from a European suspension, and both Diego Llorente and Leandro Paredes are available after serving bans in Serie A last weekend.Romelu Lukaku, a known Europa League sharpshooter with seven goals this season and 27 in the competition overall, is back in full training after missing the match against Napoli. He’s expected to lead Roma's attack, while Sardar Azmoun and Tammy Abraham will likely start on the bench.
Captain Lorenzo Pellegrini, who’s been given more freedom under Daniele De Rossi's coaching, should be fit to play despite a minor muscle issue. Chris Smalling might be able to return from injury in time to play a role, but Rasmus Kristensen and Dean Huijsen were left out of Roma's UEFA squad for the knockout rounds.
While Lukaku's goal-scoring prowess in the Europa League is impressive, Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz has been equally crucial for his team. He’s not only created more chances from open play (24) than anyone else this season, but he’s also scored 11 career goals in the Europa League, all at just 20 years old.
Leverkusen also has key players returning from suspension. Granit Xhaka is back after sitting out the Stuttgart game, which means either Robert Andrich, who scored their dramatic last-minute goal on Saturday, or Exequiel Palacios might have to sit this one out.
The only potential absentees for the German side are Adam Hlozek and Borja Iglesias, both nursing injuries, but they could still make it for the first leg in Rome.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Roma possible starting lineup:Svilar; Karsdorp, Mancini, Ndicka, Angelino; Cristante, Paredes, Pellegrini; Dybala, Lukaku, El Shaarawy
Bayer Leverkusen possible starting lineup:
Hradecky; Kossounou, Tah, Hincapie; Frimpong, Palacios, Xhaka, Grimaldo; Wirtz, Adli; Schick
EXPERT PREDICTION
Roma 2-1 Bayer Leverkusen
Leverkusen has had some defensive lapses recently, but Xabi Alonso's team has this knack for avoiding defeat, even when it seems almost certain. Their resilience has helped them stay unbeaten, and a big reason for that is their late-game heroics.
The Bundesliga champions have scored a staggering 17 goals after the 88th minute this season. With this kind of late-game magic, Leverkusen could find a way to score and head back to Germany with a draw, even if they spend most of the game under pressure.
