Leverkusen beats Leipzig 2-0 and warns Roma

A show of strength. Bayer Leverkusen, Roma’s next European opponent (Europa League semi-final), beats Leipzig 2-0 and remains in the running for a place in the next group stage of the Champions League. Xabi Alonso’s team (who also played for Mourinho in the past) was able to suffer, keeping clean sheets, hitting with Hlozek (40′) and Amiri (86′ penalty). Aspirins are sixth, -5 from Union Berlin fourth. Leipzig instead slips out of the top four. It’s been 13 games that Leverkusen haven’t lost.

THE RACE

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Leverkusen line up with a 3-4-3, with Adli, Hlozek and Diaby up front. Leipzig got off to a better start, almost taking the lead in the 8th minute with Werner (Hradecky good and responsive). Bayer’s defense is always blocked, with Leipzig struggling to find space, despite playing the game and being fresher and more active. In the 33rd minute we see Leverkusen, with Hincapié hitting the crossbar: his shot from distance is underestimated by Blaswich and hits the top of the wood. However, Alonso’s team appears slow and tired from the European efforts and commits various technical errors: therefore, Hlozek’s goal in the 40th minute is unexpected. Andrich triggers the counterattack, Diaby reaches the back and serves Hlozek in the center for the 1-0. Even in the second half it was Leipzig who made the match, often entering the opponent’s penalty area, with Leverkusen however remaining balanced and disciplined. In the 64th and 66th minutes, the team controlled by Red Bull wasted two excellent chances with Nkunku and Werner, chances that unnerved the match, with Leipzig having flattened out from then on. Leverkusen thus took advantage of it with Frimpong who, knocked down by Szoboszlai, earned a penalty that Amiri converted in the 86th minute. With Leverkusen which continues to fly, in Germany as in Europe. And he even dreams of the Champions League. Through the league, or even the cup. Rome is warned.