The faces of the losers often tell the true story of a game and ultimately a season – and the low-hanging heads with which the proud AS Roma players left their venerable stadium one after the other were evidence of an underlying feeling of lack of opportunity. They share this feeling with numerous teams in Europe who have faced Bayer Leverkusen in recent weeks.
“Piú forte di tanti”, stronger than many, not just stronger than the Romans, is this new German champion, was the verdict the next day Corriere dello Sport. The Leverkusen team and their coach are currently met with nothing but respect. It now comes not only in the form of praise, but also of encouragement for the opponent so that he doesn’t have to feel alone with his lack of chances. Leverkusen’s 2-0 win in the semi-final first leg of the Europa League was another such game.
The Romans already had chances, striker Romelu Lukaku hit the crossbar early in the game, and in stoppage time Tammy Abraham only had to aim her head into the empty goal from a few meters (and not over it). It’s just that Bayer Leverkusen has a kind of impregnation against everything that can go wrong in a football game. Because the players act in the constant knowledge that everything will go well. However, to attribute the series of 47 unbeaten games to luck would not be enough: It is still hard work with which Alonso’s team earns their fate.
Alonso saw a “serious, mature performance” from his team
Robert Andrich stood in the center of the midfield on Thursday evening as a symbol of this. The 29-year-old has a special history with the Stadio Olimpico; last year he broke his metatarsal on the spot and suffered from it for almost half a year. His wife had therefore asked during the week that he should not play in Rome this time, which sporting director Simon Rolfes acknowledged afterwards with the grinning comment that Alicia Andrich “fortunately isn’t making the line-up for us”.
From the first minute it was clear that Andrich wanted to correct his story. As cleverly as the Romans tried to drive him to despair with a lot of theatrics and small fouls, the national player appeared untouchable as he repeatedly shot at the goal from a distance – and scored wonderfully to make it 2-0 in the 73rd minute.
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“It was to be expected that it would be a heated game in front of this backdrop,” said Andrich, but Leverkusen can now deal with it. While last year José Mourinho’s defensive-minded team was able to build walls against which Bayer lacked a wrecking ball, this no longer works. Coach Daniele De Rossi, from the same generation as Alonso and known as a player in the same position, had chosen a slightly more offensive variant, retaining the combative core elements from last year, which, however, came to nothing this time.
Bayer plays without a classic striker – and is still incredibly superior
Alonso, on the other hand, did without a classic striker, which gave his team an unusual offensive line of three with Alejandro Grimaldo, Florian Wirtz and Amine Adli – and an enormous field superiority, which is not based on sluggish possession of the ball, but on a constant threat to score, which is Leverkusen’s As a side effect, football also looks attractive. Wirtz scored the opening goal in the 28th minute.
Alonso called it a “serious, adult performance,” although he warned that he had already experienced comebacks in second legs. That’s why the coach looked irritated for a moment when he was asked about a celebration at the press conference. “No, no, we haven’t celebrated yet,” Alonso said, before receiving an explanation that the question was aimed at the traveling supporters and not the team. “Oh, the fans, of course they can celebrate,” said Alonso.
And because everything at Bayer Leverkusen follows the Spaniard’s command, the Leverkusen team was still singing for an empty stadium in their away block a good hour after the final whistle. The path in this sensational season will probably take them to Dublin and a European final.