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On Thursday, May 9, in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League semifinal, Bayer Leverkusen will face AS Roma in Leverkusen. The match kicks off at 9:00 p.m. Central European Time. As a reminder, the first leg in Rome ended with a 2-0 victory for the German team. The match prediction and bets for this encounter have been prepared by Dailysports analysts.
Bayer Leverkusen
In the 29th round of the Bundesliga, Bayer secured their first-ever championship title. However, the team under the guidance of Xabi Alonso still pursues several objectives. Firstly, they aim to win trophies in all competitions they participate in. To reach the Europa League final, they need to maintain a two-goal advantage over Roma, and in the DFB-Pokal final, they must overcome the Second Bundesliga representative Kaiserslautern. Secondly, their goal is to go undefeated throughout the season. At present, Bayer's unbeaten streak stands at an incredible 48 matches, matching the European football record set by Benfica back in 1965. Should Bayer avoid defeat against Roma, they will become the undisputed record holders. In the previous Bundesliga match, Xabi Alonso fielded a less than optimal lineup, yet it was sufficient to defeat Eintracht Frankfurt 5-1.
AS Roma
Following the managerial change from José Mourinho to Daniele De Rossi, Roma has adopted a completely different style of football. Currently, they are not only contending for the Europa League but also fighting for a place in the Champions League. Securing a top-5 finish is enough for this objective, as Italy, thanks to its clubs' successes, has already guaranteed an additional spot in the Champions League for the next season. However, in their two recent Serie A matches, Roma drew against Napoli (2-2) and Juventus (1-1). These results pushed Roma down to sixth place, with Atalanta now occupying fifth position. Lately, there's a sense that the fuel which propelled the "wolves" under De Rossi's leadership is starting to deplete.
Interesting facts about the match and head-to-head history
- Last season, Roma and Bayer also met in the Europa League semifinals. Roma won 1-0 at home, while the match in Leverkusen ended in a 0-0 draw.
- The last time Bayer played in a European cup final was in 2002, losing to Real Madrid in the Champions League final.
Bayer Leverkusen vs AS Roma prediction
Roma is experiencing a downturn in form, while Bayer continues to impress with each match. My prediction is a win for the hosts.
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