Bayer Leverkusen travel to the Italian capital to face Roma in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League semi-final as they seek revenge for their final four exit last term.
Leverkusen struck another dramatic, last-minute equaliser against VfB Stuttgart at the weekend to make it 46 competitive games without loss. As he looks to keep his side fresh for the season's final few matches, Xabi Alonso rotated his outfit once again versus Die Schwaben, making four changes to the team that previously drew 1-1 at Borussia Dortmund. Here, you can expect him to deploy a full-strength XI, which should mean the return of Florian Wirtz, Victor Boniface and Granit Xhaka - the former two were on the bench last time out, while Xhaka was suspended. Die Werkself will be without Adam Hlozek due to an ankle injury, with loan centre-forward Borja Iglesias also unavailable as he struggles with muscle issues. All in all, though, Leverkusen are well-placed to take on Roma as they seek revenge for their semi-final exit at the hands of the Giallorossi in last year's competition.
Beaten finalists in last season's Europa League, Roma finished second in 2023/24 Group G behind Slavia Prague. They needed penalties to see off Feyenoord in the last-16 play-offs, but got the job done against Brighton & Hove Albion and Serie A rivals AC Milan inside 180 minutes. Domestically, they're fifth in the table, four points outside the top four following Sunday's 2-2 draw with defending champions Napoli. Although much improved since former player Daniele De Rossi took over from Jose Mourinho in January, the Romans haven't kept a clean sheet in their last five competitive games. They also won't need reminding of the importance of a positive result ahead of next week's trip to Leverkusen, having only won once on foreign soil so far this season - a 2-1 victory over Moldova's FC Sheriff on Matchday 1 of the groups. They've since lost in Prague, Rotterdam and Brighton, whilst being held to a draw by Switzerland's Servette. Former Eintracht Frankfurt defender Evan Ndicka is the only confirmed absentee due to a collapsed lung.
Watch: Leverkusen salvage unbeaten run against Stuttgart
Match stats
Boniface and Patrik Schick are Leverkusen's top scorers in the Europa League this season, with five goals from seven appearances apiece. Only four players have provided more assists than Wirtz (four) in the 2023/24 edition of the Europa League. All eight of Leverkusen's last goals in the competition - from four matches across their two-legged last-16 and quarter-final ties - have come after the 70th-minute mark. Half of those fell after the 90th-minute. Leverkusen are now 46 games unbeaten in the 2023/24 campaign, with 10 of those matches coming in the Europa League where their record reads: P10, W8, D2. Only Liverpool (29) have scored more goals than Leverkusen (27) in the UEL this season. This is the second Europa League season in succession where these two teams have met in the semi-finals. Roma emerged narrow victors in 2022/23, with a 1-0 aggregate win before the Italians lost the final on penalties to Spain's Sevilla. Probable teams
Roma: Svilar - Celik, Smalling, Mancini, Angelino - Cristante, Paredes, Pellegrini (c) - El Shaarawy, Lukaku, Dybala Out: Ndicka (collapsed lung)Doubtful: -Coach: Daniele De Rossi
Leverkusen: Kovar - Tapsoba, Tah (c), Hincapie - Stanisic, Xhaka, Palacios, Grimaldo - Tella, Wirtz - SchickOut: Hlozek (ankle), Mbamba (ineligible), Iglesias (muscular)Doubtful: -Coach: Xabi Alonso
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Watch: Leverkusen's best goals so far in 2023/24
Roma: the story so far Roma finished second in Group G behind Slavia Prague, going through to the knockout round play-offs on 13 points from a possible 18. Former Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi replaced Jose Mourinho as head coach for their clash with Feyenoord, earning 1-1 draws in each leg before progressing to the last 16 on penalties. There, a 4-1 aggregate victory over Brighton set up an all-Italian quarter-final with AC Milan, which they won 3-1 overall.
All roads lead to Rome With the Bundesliga title already in the bag and a DFB Cup final against Kaiserslautern booked in on 25 May, Leverkusen's season finale is panning out rather nicely. They can enhance it further as they look to seal a spot in the Europa League final in Dublin on 22 May, against either Marseille or Atalanta. Can they give themselves an edge in Rome ahead of the second leg in Leverkusen?