2:2 against AS Roma
Bayer Leverkusen reaches the Europa League final: 70 percent Wirtz is enough for the turnaround
He makes the difference: Florian Wirtz initially sat on the bench against AS Roma. However, when Bayer 04 Leverkusen had their backs against the wall, the playmaker’s substitution was supposed to be decisive in the game.
© Federico Gambarini / DPA
It looked like Bayer Leverkusen’s first defeat of the season – and the end of their journey in the Europa League was also looming. With the substitution of Florian Wirtz came the turning point for the new German champions against AS Roma.
He wasn’t supposed to be playing at all. But when the end threatened, Football-Jewel had to Florian Wirtz goes onto the field. “It was a bit of a risk,” admitted coach Xabi Alonso after German champions Bayer Leverkusen reached the Europa League final. “But we needed something special. A pass, a dribble. Something different. That’s why I took that risk. And it worked.”
In the game at Borussia Dortmund almost three weeks ago, the 21-year-old national player was hit on the thigh. And after some improvement, the whole thing apparently got worse. “He couldn’t walk properly. He was limping. But he wanted to help the team,” said Alonso, explaining why the offensive player was in the squad at all. He had been rested in the 5-1 win in Frankfurt on Sunday and was now on the bench just in case, but didn’t warm up until very late.
When the score was 0-2 and it was heading towards extra time shortly before the end, Alonso brought it on in the 81st minute. The game ended 2-2. And although Wirtz wasn’t directly involved in both goals, he was still the one who turned things around. “Even with 70 percent, Flo is still a good player,” noted Alonso. And midfield strategist Granit Xhaka explained: “When Flo came in, you saw that we had another player with a different class who could take over the game.”
Bayer Leverkusen will play two finals in four days
The game had previously turned into an unexpected thriller for Bayer Leverkusen. Bayer were overwhelmingly superior, but Leandro Paredes equalized the 2-0 lead from the first leg in Rome with a foul penalty (43′) and a hand penalty (66′). An own goal from Gianluca Mancini (83′) got Bayer back on track and ensured successful revenge after last year’s semi-final exit against Roma. Bayer also remained unbeaten in the 49th competitive game of the season – because Josip Stanisic scored well into stoppage time (90th + 7) to make it 2-2.
“We don’t know ourselves how we were 2-0 down. We had clear chances. But to come back after that and not lose is incredible. We are now in the final, a dream has come true. It’s unbelievable, now the right ones “To find words,” said Leverkusen leader Granit Xhaka on RTL. “It’s pure goosebumps, you dream of such an atmosphere and such games. We’re going to enjoy the evening tonight. We’re going to the final to win. We’ll give everything to take the pot with us to Leverkusen.”
Now Wirtz will probably be able to rest for almost two weeks. In the last two league games in Bochum and against Augsburg, it’s all about ending the Bundesliga season without defeat. More important are the finals on May 22nd in the Europa League against Atalanta Bergamo and in the DFB Cup on May 25th against 1. FC Kaiserslautern. Alonso is cautiously optimistic that Wirtz will have fully recovered by then. “He needs a little more time now,” he said. “We have some time now. I spoke to the doctor. We have to wait and see how things develop.”
Editor’s note: Stern belongs to RTL Deutschland.