Xabi Alonso has already put Roma in his sights. Bayer Leverkusen has just escaped the West Ham danger, drawing the return match in London 1-1 after the 2-0 first leg and earning the semi-final of the Europa League against the Giallorossi. Just like last year, when Roma, then coached by Mourinho, won the first leg 1-0 and earned the final, then lost to Sevilla with a 0-0 draw in the return leg. “I can’t wait to play it” anticipates the Spanish coach.
teachings
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“We are happy to be able to say that we are still in the semi-finals of the Europa League – says the thoughtful Xabi Alonso, speaking in English throughout the press conference -. And we are happy to be against Roma again, who are a different team from last year: they have a new coach, who is having a big impact, they have new players. I don’t want to say it’s a revenge, but football gives second chances and it gave us the chance to prove we’re better and try to beat Roma.” Xabi Alonso has not yet studied De Rossi’s Giallorossi but he has the double clash of last season well in mind: he had been in Leverkusen for a few months, but had already managed to transform a team struggling not to be relegated into one capable of path in European cups like he hadn’t had for two decades, laying the foundations for the sensational 2023-24 season. That double semi-final with the Giallorossi, however, left the Bayer coach with lessons that he can’t wait to put into practice. “In that double challenge we understood that at this level the difference is made by the details – he says -. It’s a new season, we are different teams even if many players who were there last year are still in Rome. I’m sure it will also be a very different match. I believe we have excellent players and that last year’s experience will help us, but we need to understand how to use it in a positive way. I’m not saying that last year we went into that match badly prepared, but now we are better prepared, we know what to expect. In a cup semi-final you have to understand the moment, be cynical when you have the chance to score and we, especially in Leverkusen, were not. We will prepare, I hope we will be more ready.”
champions
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Roma are already in the mind of Granit “I think that Roma is a team worthy of the Champions League – says the Swiss midfielder -, but we want to try to give our fans the final in Dublin”. It would be another sensational result from a historic season, one in which Bayer won the Bundesliga for the first time, have not lost any of the 44 matches played so far (in Europe they are unbeaten in 11, their longest winning streak ever) , and also in London he demonstrated that he has learned to overcome difficult moments. Losing the semi-final against Roma last year was one of them. Bayer is eager to demonstrate that it has learned its lesson.
