Union Berlin’s group conqueror Feyenoord Rotterdam has to worry about reaching the final in the new Conference League European Cup competition.
The former European Cup winners only managed a narrow 3-2 (2-2) win in the semi-final first leg against Olympique Marseille.
Star coach Jose Mourinho got a hardly better starting position for the second leg (May 5/Thursday) with Italy’s ex-title holder AS Roma with a 1-1 (1-0) win at England’s former champions Leicester City.
Rotterdam gambled away a 2-0 lead on the way to their first European Cup victory since the UEFA Cup triumph 20 years ago against Borussia Dortmund in the first round through goals from Nigerian Cyriel Dessers (18th) and Colombian Luis Sinisterra (20th). .) until the break.
After the French equalized through the Senegalese Bamba Dieng (28th) and the Brazilian veteran Gerson (40th), the hosts, who had won both matches in the group phase against Bundesliga club Union Berlin (3: 1 and 2: 1), were able to thank Dessers (46th) for the small advantage in the second leg.
Leipzig loan shocks Mourinho and Co.
Mourinho’s side could also hope for a lead in the decisive second leg in Leicester.
After Rome’s early lead by Lorenzo Pellegrini, Leipzig loan Ademola Lookman (67th) secured the Brits, who had been the last stop in the quarterfinals for the Dutch top team en PSV Eindhoven with German coach Roger Schmidt and ex-world champion Mario Götze Draw.
The Conference League has its premiere this season as the third European Cup competition behind the Champions League and the Europa League. The final will take place on May 25 in the Albanian capital of Tirana.
Berlin had taken the only spot for the Bundesliga. However, after successfully qualifying for the group stage, the Köpenickers were eliminated before the knockout rounds as third in Group E behind Rotterdam and Slavia Prague.