Will Bayer Leverkusen fulfill their dream of returning to a final in a European competition after 21 years? Former Werkself star Michael Ballack sees good chances for his former club against AS Roma with star coach José Mourinho, as he explains in an exclusive RTL interview. See the reasons for Ballack’s optimism in the video above!
Ballack does not have a clear favorite. “Due to the current strength of Bayer Leverkusen, it’s a 50:50 game,” says today’s TV expert to RTL. “They don’t need to hide at all.”
Another thing that speaks for the Werkself: the second leg in their own stadium. “I also think it’s always a small advantage to have the second game at home because just with the crowd behind you you know what result you have to get.”
It is very important for the club to get back into a European final after such a long time.
Ballack: “The team is solid and robust enough to recognize this goal and that it is a special opportunity.” Bayer’s form after victories against Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig also speaks for itself. Ballack’s conclusion: “If the performance is right, I am convinced that they will progress.”
Ballack praises Bayer coach Xabi Alonso
Ballack has great praise for Bayer coach Xabi Alonso (41), who took over from Gerardo Seoane at the beginning of October and put the team back on the road to success. “Of course he calmed the club down a bit,” says Ballack of the Spaniard. “He was looking for a lot of stability there, but also retrieved the potential that the team has.”
In the duels against Rome, too, the Spanish tactical fox is now important. Above all, Alonso must convey to the players how great the chance of an international title is. Ballack believes that shouldn’t be a problem.
“He has that quality of natural authority that you need to have as a coach because of his aura and his footballing history.” In addition, he is a guy who doesn’t overdo it because he knows football well and is very experienced.
One thing is clear: for Bayer Leverkusen, the game against Rome is the biggest game on the international stage since losing the 2002 Champions League final against Real Madrid. Ballack – from 1999 to 2002 and again from 2010 to 2012 at Bayer – was there as a player himself.
The game between AS Roma and Leverkusen can be seen on free TV on RTL (from 8:15 p.m.) on Thursday evening, May 11th. The second leg takes place a week later. As usual, all other top games in the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA European Conference League are streamed LIVE on RTL+ and in the live ticker sport.de.
Felix Görner/Jan Luhrenberg