Alonso faced the threat of an ending, yet he persisted until the last. - Bayer Leverkusen's thrilling journey for the treble continues.
"What a team, they're unbeatable!"
Bayer Leverkusen managed to hold onto a draw against Roma in the semi-final of the Europa League, with their record remaining spotless after 49 competitive games throughout the season.
Leverkusen Drama: The Treble Dream Continues
Josip Stanisic's late-minute goal reshaped the semi-final's dramatic finale, making it 2:2 (90+7).
Leverkusen's late-minute heroes (scoring 32 goals in the 80th minute and beyond) had to fight to secure victory, as Mancini scored in the dying minutes, only to be equalized by Stanisic.
The final would be contested against Atalanta Bergamo, defeating Marseille 3-0 (first leg 1:1) in the other semi-final.
Leverkusen started the game aggressively, frequently pressing Roma, generating several opportunities, particularly for their foundation and midfield catalyst, Palacios, who struck the post from an 18-meter free-kick (29').
However, two penalties drew par with Leverkusen's initial 2:0 lead from the first leg!
First, Tah halted Bayer loanee Azmoun in the box, resulting in a penalty given to Roma’s Paredes, which he converted to bring the score to 0:1 (43'). Roma grabbed an unexpected lead. And the Argentinian champion globally received a second opportunity after halftime when Hlozek intervened with the ball, though the referee Makkelie awarded another penalty, once again to Paredes from the penalty spot (66').
Before the match, successful coach Alonso cautioned: "It's risky. A goal changes the situation without delay."
Leverkusen's semi-final heartbreak in last year's season against Roma (0:0, 0:1).
Excellent defender Tapsoba reminisced, "We endured a lot last year. I witnessed certain fans crying. That was rather agonizing for us. Now it's up to us, considering all the fans' tremendous efforts for us this season, to deliver the joy they missed out on last year."
True to his words, Leverkusen narrowly escaped Roma's intense challenges.
This exceptional week for Leverkusen features the championship prize on May 18, followed by the European final on May 22 in Dublin and the DFB Cup final against Kaiserslautern in Berlin on May 25. The treble possibility beckons for Alonso's team, who need just two more wins to achieve it.
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Source: symclub.org
