Bayer Leverkusen vs Roma: Preview, Prediction & Betting Tips

BayArena welcomes Bayer Leverkusen and Roma this Thursday in the second leg Semi Finals of the Europa League. Leverkusen picked up a big win in the first leg as Roma will be looking to overturn the two goal deficit away from home.

Date: 09/05/2024

Kick off time: 20:00

Location: BayArena

The Europa League Final looms, with Bayer Leverkusen already having one foot in the Final. However, Roma do have a mountain to climb but it is a deficit that has been overturned before.

Bayer Leverkusen have already won the Bundesliga title, but after 32 games, Leverkusen have 26 wins and six draws. As the only unbeaten side in the league, Leverkusen sit 15 points above Bayern Munich in second.

This is the ninth time Leverkusen have competed in the Europa League with the furthest they have gone being the Semi Finals. Last season Leverkusen made the Semi Finals where they once again faced Roma. However, last season, Leverkusen lost 1 - 0 on aggregate as Roma went on to the Final.

Roma currently sit fifth in the Serie A after 35 games. The Yellow and Reds have 17 wins, nine draws and nine losses which leaves them on 60 points, four points from Champions League football.

The Yellow and Reds have a good record in the Europa League. In seven seasons in the competitions, Roma have made the Semi Finals once before this season and have made one Final appearance. The Final appearance came last season where they faced Sevilla. The game finished 1 - 1 after extra time and was sent to penalties. Sevilla picked up a 5 - 2 win on penalties to lift the trophy.

Bayer Leverkusen and Roma have met eight times in their histories, with the first meeting coming in the 2004 Champions League Group stage. Both Bayer Leverkusen and Roma have picked up two wins each but the most common outcome of this fixture is a draw, happening on four occasions.

The last five games in this fixture have seen one win for Bayer Leverkusen, two wins for Roma and two draws. Two of the last five games have had both sides on the scoresheet and usually when both sides score, it promises a lot of goals - at least five.

Bayer Leverkusen Team News

Xabi Alonso has no current injuries in his squad but Noah Mbamba is also ineligible in the Europa League.

Roma Team News

Daniele De Rossi has no current injuries in his squad.

In their last five games in all competitions, Bayer Leverkusen have two wins and three draws.

In the second leg of the Europa League Quarter Finals, Leverkusen found themselves in London to take on West Ham. Leverkusen picked up a 2 - 0 win in the first leg but Michail Antonio put The Hammers ahead early on but an 89th minute goal from Jeremie Frimpong rescued a 1 - 1 draw for Leverkusen.

Back in the Bundesliga, it was another 1 - 1 draw for Leverkusen, this time against Borussia Dortmund. Niclas Fullkrug opened the scoring for Dortmund with under ten minutes to go but in the seventh minute of extra time Josip Stanišić popped up with a goal to force another 1 - 1 draw.

Bayer Leverkusen picked up another draw the next time out against Stuttgart. Leverkusen went behind yet again as Chris Führich and Deniz Undav both scored to give Stuttgart the 2 - 0 lead just after halftime. Amine Adli got Leverkusen on the scoresheet on the hour mark and in the sixth minute of extra time Robert Andrich scored to rescue another 2 - 2 draw.

The last time out for Leverkusen was against Eintracht Frankfurt. Granit Xhaka opened the scoring for Leverkusen but Hugo Ekitike equalised for Frankfurt on the half hour mark. Patrik Schick regained the lead before halftime and in the second half both Exequiel Palacios and Victor Boniface converted penalties and were joined on the scoresheet by Frimpong in the 5 - 1 win.

In their last five games in all competitions, Roma have one win, two draws and two losses.

The visit from Bologna saw them 2 - 0 up at the break with both Oussama El Azzouzi and Joshua Zirkzee on the scoresheet for Bologna. Sardar Azmoun got Roma in the game early in the second half but a goal from Alexis Saelemaekers secured the 3 - 1 win for Bologna.

Roma bounced back with a win against Udinese. Roberto Pereyra opened the scoring for Udinese to give them the 1 - 0 lead at halftime but Romelu Lukaku equalised for Roma on the hour mark. Bryan Cristante popped up with a goal in extra time to give Roma the 2 - 1 win.

The trip to Napoli saw a penalty from Paulo Dybala opened the scoring on the hour but Mathías Olivera equalised for Napoli just five minutes later. A penalty from Victor Osimhen put Napoli ahead in the 84th minute but a late goal from Tammy Abraham rescued a 2 - 2 draw for Roma.

The most recent outing for Roma was against Juventus. Lukaku opened the scoring for Roma in the 15th minute but Gleison Bremer equalised for Juventus before halftime. Neither side could find another goal as the game finished in a 1 - 1 draw.

The first leg of this Semi Final saw Roma host Bayer Leverkusen. Florian Wirtz opened the scoring just before the half hour mark and Andrich added another late on to secure the 2 - 0 win for Leverkusen.

Bayer Leverkusen have been unstoppable this season and it’s unlikely to change this week. However, Roma are likely to at least get on the scoresheet this time. Bayer Leverkusen 2 - 1 Roma.

Bayer Leverkusen vs Roma will be shown on TNT Sports 2 in the U.K. and can also be followed online on BBC Sport or Sky Sports.

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