Jose Mourinho’s foresight regarding Xabi Alonso’s coaching career has come to fruition.
Speaking at a Top Eleven event in 2019, Mourinho acknowledged that Alonso’s upbringing as the son of a manager, coupled with his extensive playing experience under esteemed coaches, made him well-suited for a successful coaching career.
Having played under Mourinho for three seasons at Real Madrid, Alonso accumulated an impressive record, featuring in 151 matches and enjoying a winning percentage of 72%.
Since taking over as the head coach of Bayer Leverkusen, Alonso has made a strong impression. He steered the struggling team from 17th place to a commendable sixth-place finish in the Bundesliga and guided them to the semi-finals of the Europa League. Alonso’s admiration for Mourinho’s coaching prowess was evident when he described their first meeting after Mourinho assumed the Real Madrid job.
The upcoming clash between Roma and Leverkusen promises to be an exciting encounter, as their previous meetings have been goal-filled affairs. The teams have faced each other four times in European competitions, with both sides consistently finding the back of the net, resulting in a total of 19 goals at an average of 4.8 per game.
Roma has demonstrated their proficiency in European competitions, reaching their third consecutive major European semi-final. Meanwhile, Leverkusen’s track record includes a UEFA Cup triumph in 1987-88, a semi-final appearance in the 1994-95 UEFA Cup, and a memorable run to the 2001-02 Champions League final.
Florian Wirtz, Leverkusen’s talented 20-year-old, will play a crucial role in their progression against Roma. Wirtz has been directly involved in the most Europa League goals since the group stage, scoring three goals and providing two assists. Additionally, he has created the highest number of chances in the competition during the same period (18).
LAST MEETING
Roma and Bayer Leverkusen clashed in a thrilling encounter during the group stage of the 2015-16 Champions League. After an exhilarating 4-4 draw in Germany, Roma prepared to host Leverkusen for the return fixture.
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The Italian side took an early lead with Mohamed Salah capitalizing on an assist from Edin Dzeko in the second minute. Dzeko himself extended Roma’s advantage to 2-0, expertly finishing a chance created by Radja Nainggolan exploiting Leverkusen’s high defensive line.
Leverkusen fought back immediately in the second half, as Kevin Kampl set up Admir Mehmedi to reduce the deficit. Javier Hernandez then equalized, converting a pass from Karim Bellarabi past Roma goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny.
In the closing stages, Roma regained the lead through a penalty. Salah was fouled as he was about to score into an empty net, resulting in Leverkusen captain Omer Toprak being sent off. Miralem Pjanic converted the spot-kick, securing a victory for the Giallorossi.
Roma finished ahead of Leverkusen to claim the second spot in Group E, trailing behind Barcelona. However, their journey ended in the round of 16 against Real Madrid. Meanwhile, Leverkusen moved to the Europa League but were eliminated in the last-16 stage by Villarreal.
RECENT FORM
Roma has struggled in Serie A, failing to secure a victory in their last four matches since their triumphant 4-1 second-leg extra-time win against Feyenoord in the Europa League quarter-finals. They have experienced draws against Milan and Monza, along with defeats to Atalanta and Inter, causing their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League to diminish.
Currently, in seventh place, they trail Inter by five points in the race for fourth position with only four games remaining. As a result, winning the Europa League appears to be their most viable path to securing a spot in next season’s Champions League.
Similarly, Bayer Leverkusen has faced setbacks following their previous European fixture. After defeating RB Leipzig at home, they settled for a goalless draw against Union Berlin and suffered a surprising home defeat to Köln, which ended their 14-game unbeaten streak.
Leverkusen finds themselves in sixth place in the Bundesliga, eight points behind both Union Berlin in fourth and Freiburg in fifth. Their chances of qualifying for the top club competition in Europe through the league standings appear increasingly unlikely.
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KEY PLAYERS
AS Roma – Lorenzo Pellegrini
Roma’s captain, Lorenzo Pellegrini, has played a crucial role in his team’s journey in the Europa League this season. He has directly contributed to eight goals in the competition, scoring four times and providing four assists.
Pellegrini stands out as the Roma player involved in the highest number of open-play shot-ending sequences in the Europa League, with a total of 51. He has taken 23 shots, created 12 scoring opportunities, and played a part in the build-up to 16 shots.
In Serie A, the 26-year-old has continued to deliver, registering four goals and five assists in 29 appearances. His creative abilities have been noteworthy, as only Paulo Dybala has created more big chances than Pellegrini’s impressive tally of 10.
Leverkusen’s vulnerability in defense was evident in their recent 2-1 home defeat to Köln, where they conceded five chances inside the penalty area. Pellegrini’s playmaking skills could prove vital in exploiting their defensive weaknesses in the upcoming match.
Bayer Leverkusen – Moussa Diaby
Bayer Leverkusen possesses a potent weapon in Moussa Diaby, who consistently delivers for the team. The Frenchman’s impact has been remarkable, as he is one of only three players in Europe’s top five leagues to achieve 10 or more goals and 10 or more assists in each of the last three seasons. In the esteemed company of Lionel Messi and Bruno Fernandes, Diaby’s contributions have been truly noteworthy.
In Leverkusen’s recent match against Köln, Diaby provided the assist for Amine Adli’s goal. He excels in creating opportunities for his team, evident in the Bundesliga this season where he has generated 56 chances and 14 big chances, surpassing his teammates. Although Florian Wirtz faced injury setbacks and is playing catch-up, Diaby leads the team in terms of big chances created.
In the Bundesliga, only Mitchell Weiser of Werder Bremen (16) and Florian Kainz of Köln (15) have created more big chances than Diaby this season. His ability to carve out scoring opportunities for Leverkusen makes him a significant threat to opposing defenses.
PREDICTION
According to Opta’s supercomputer, Roma enters the first leg as the favorites, with a 49.3% chance of securing a victory. Leverkusen, on the other hand, has a 24.6% probability of pulling off a significant win that could give them the upper hand in the tie. The draw is considered a possibility with a rating of 26.1%.