Roma-Bayer Leverkusen 0-2, the Germans with a foot and a half in the final

Rome 2 May 2024 – Xabi Alonso takes revenge, sportingly speaking, on Rome and won the match at the Olimpico 0-2 after losing the first leg last year. In the Eternal City the stars shine landlord e Andrich, authors of the two winning goals for the Germans, but the Giallorossi have reason to despair, first for the gift of Karsdorp which opens up the visitors' advantage, then the error in recovering Abraham which could give extra hope ahead of the return to the Bay Arena. 

First half

The Rossi relies on Karsdorp on the right, to replace the disqualified one Steel, XNUMX Mancini e Smalling to cover the center e Spinazzola in band. The presence of Lukaku in attack from the 1st minute of the game, supported by the untouchables Dybala ed El Shaarawy. Xabi Alonso responds with Journal between the posts, and the three-man defensive line composed of Stanisic, Move e Tapsoba. frimpong in the midline on the right with Hincapie on the other side. Jaca e Andrich they are the two central midfielders with the talent of landlord and the leg of Grimaldo to support Judicial forward.

Match with a high pace right from the start, with the teams very balanced in terms of quality and dribbling, it is the quality of the pressure and the flashes of the individuals that make the difference in this match. Judicial on the one hand and Dybala on the other hand they are the first to try to break this first stalemate on the pitch, but both attempts are neutralized by the defense: the Roma defense in fact rejects the attempt of the Leverkusen, while Joya shoots central and sees her attempt blocked on the ground by Journal.

However, the challenge continues to grow in intensity, the protagonists on the pitch face each other in full-field individual duels and this sees the first whistles from the referee and the first yellow card. In the 16th minute he was booked Move for a hold on Lukaku thrown in the open field. There Rome he grows as the minutes pass and seems capable of taking the reins of the challenge. In the 22nd minute the Giallorossi had the opportunity to take the lead following a corner kick from the right taken by Dybala: the ball initially seems long, but Paredes harpoons it and returns it into the heart of the area for Lukaku, the Belgian's header however hits the top of the crossbar. The Giallorossi striker despairs, having found an exceptional play.

Leverkusen's reaction, however, is frightening. Before, after not even a minute compared to the wood hit by Lukaku, frimpong is served with a millimetric assist from landlord, but only in front of Silker, kicks to the outside of the net, then in the 28th minute the German goal comes. Karsdorp he makes a great diagonal in closing, but after having neutralized the ball he touches too slowly for his teammates and his ball is intercepted by Grimaldo. The former Benfica player has plenty of time to serve in the area landlord, who easily places it on the far post, beating Silker. At the Olimpico the team has the advantage Bayer Leverkusen, Roma down 0-1.

The end of the first half was entirely German, with the new German champions coming close to a lethal one-two on several occasions. Before and landlord to see the attempt saved with the right, by the double intervention of Silker, then frimpong he kicks a strong ball, which hisses a few centimeters from the post to the right of the Roma goalkeeper. In all this he is also warned Pellegrini for a harsh intervention committed against him frimpong.

Lots of nervousness on the pitch at the end of the first half: la Rome he tries to shake himself off, but when he tries to bring many men into the opponent's half of the pitch he always risks the Germans attacking on the counter. The last scoring actions of the first half are one on each side and they are both shots from outside the area. Before and Andrich for the Leverkusen to test the reflexes of Silker, the Roma goalkeeper was careful to dive and dive the ball away; on the other side it is Pellegrini to take aim from his favorite position on the center right, the shot is very strong and well aimed but only hits the bottles positioned outside the far post on the left of Journal. Thus we arrive at the double whistle of Letexier Bayer Leverkusen ahead at the Olimpico on Rome for 0-1.

Second half

The two teams resume the match with the same protagonists as in the first half, therefore the interval of the match remains unchanged. The Leverkusen seems to want to try to handle the ball more in this second half, while the Rome more direct, try to quickly verticalize trying to put pressure on the opponent's rearguard. In fact, the Giallorossi are immediately dangerous, first with the cross from Spinazzola, missed both by Crystallineor by Karsdorp, then with the header succeeded by the same Giallorossi midfielder on the corner of Dybala, the blue's excellent attempt, however, misses the target.

The Rossi he then goes looking for solutions from the bench, in the 62nd minute the first substitution actually arrives, in the Rome enter  Angelino for Karsdorp, author of the unfortunate error that gave the visitors the advantage. There Rome he now lines up three men behind, with El Shaarawy to play on the left full flank, while Dybala e Lukaku they become two real tips. The intensity on the pitch is great, but the pace drops slightly. The opportunities are fewer and fewer and the Giallorossi are often forced into their own half of the pitch. It seems like a stalemate destined to continue for a few more minutes, but in the 73rd minute he thinks about it Andrich to give the guests a double: a surgical right-footed shot from outside the area by the German, who slots it into the far post, leaving Silker motionless. Following the celebration for the German 0-2, a small commotion broke out on the pitch and they were booked Spinazzola e Jaca for having started the argument that exploded on the pitch.

Thus we enter the last quarter of an hour of the game, with two more yellow cards. The first for the same Andrich due to an involuntary blow to the face of Dybala, the second for Crystalline after stopping the restart of the new entry Tella. The Nigerian had replaced, along with Hofman a few seconds earlier Judicial e landlord. The answer of De Rossi he arrives at these substitutions in the 79th minute with the entrances of Azmoun e Baldanzi for Lukaku e Paredes. Thus we enter the last 10 minutes with the Rome who builds his best scoring actions of the second half. In the 85th minute in fact Pellegrini fishes the right angle to serve into the area Azmoun: the Persian stops and kicks with his left foot, but the coverage provided by Move e Tapsoba he hinders the Iranian, who kicks at him Journal, which he blocks to the ground. The former striker of the evening despairs after the failed opportunity.

La Rome he continues to push, but when the moment of conclusion arrives he always hits the opponent's wall. They enter in the finale Palacios e Kossounou since Leverkusen for frimpong e Grimaldo, Abraham it is instead the fourth Giallorossi substitution for Dybala. The result, however, does not change Abraham at the last second he missed the goal of hope from inside the small area, putting it high over the crossbar. A cry of joy for the desire to facilitate the possible turnaround at the Bay Arena remains so strangled in the throat. After 5' of injury time Letexier he whistles three times decreeing the final success of the Bayer Leverkusen on Rome: at the Olimpico it ends 0-2 thanks to goals from landlord e Andrich. Qualifying for the final is becoming very difficult for the Giallorossi Europa League.