Bayer Leverkusen Extends Unbeaten Streak to 47 with Roma Victory
Bayer Leverkusen’s remarkable unbeaten streak continued with a resounding 2-0 victory over Roma in the first leg of the Europa League semifinals. The German club, fresh from their Bundesliga triumph, silenced the Stadio Olimpico crowd with a clinical performance that extended their unbeaten run to 47 matches across all competitions.
Leverkusen’s dominance was evident from the outset, as they soaked up Roma’s early pressure and struck on the counterattack. A failed back pass from Rick Karsdorp allowed Alex Grimaldo to set up Florian Wirtz for the opening goal in the 13th minute.
Roma threatened sporadically, but Leverkusen’s defense held firm. In the 73rd minute, Robert Andrich sealed the victory with a long-range strike, capitalizing on a moment of hesitation from the Roma defense.
The result marked a measure of revenge for Leverkusen, who had been eliminated by Roma at the same stage last season. It also extended their unbeaten streak to a record-breaking length among Europe’s top five leagues.
“We take things game by game and we are not thinking about being unbeaten,” said Leverkusen midfielder Amine Adli. “We are not thinking about making history or things like that — that’s why we are playing like this and the team is strong. We just want to enjoy ourselves.”
In the other semifinal, Atalanta and Marseille played out a 1-1 draw in France. Gianluca Scamacca gave Atalanta the lead, but Chancel Mbemba equalized for Marseille.
The second legs of both semifinals will be held next Thursday, with the final scheduled for May 22 in Dublin. Leverkusen will be confident of reaching the final, having maintained their unbeaten record throughout the season.
