Xabi Alonso takes Leverkusen to the Europa League last in opposition to Atalanta

Paris. The place will Bayer Leverkusen cease? The German workforce led with a masterful hand by the Spanish Xabi Alonso suffered however remained undefeated and certified this Thursday for the ultimate of the Europa League, the place they’ll face the Italian Atalanta.

Leverkusen drew 2-2 within the last stoppage time at residence in opposition to Roma, whom that they had already overwhelmed 2-0 within the first leg in Italy. For its half, Atalanta defeated Marseille 3-0, after a 1-1 draw within the first leg.

The confrontation between the 2 can be on Might 22 in Dublin.

The Convention League last, on Might 29 in Athens, may also have a Spanish coach on one of many benches, José Luis Mendilibar, who led Olympiakos to the decisive match, the place they’ll face Fiorentina, who certified on Wednesday.

The composition of the finals of the second and third European tournaments was identified a day after Actual Madrid certified for the ultimate of the continent’s highest competitors, the Champions League, the place its rival can be Borussia Dortmund on June 1 in London.

49 events

‘In extremis’, however the streak continued. Bayer Leverkusen has now gone 49 video games with out shedding, all of them this season, for a stability of 40 wins and 9 attracts.

Roma went 2-0 up on the BayArena scoreboard, with two penalty objectives scored by Argentine Leandro Paredes (43, 66).

That benefit left the tie tied and on the way in which to further time, however the Germans have been in a position to shut it within the 82nd minute with a purpose in opposition to Gianluca Mancini.

That purpose allowed Leverkusen to qualify, however the workforce coached by Xabi Alonso appeared headed for its first defeat of the season. With Roma determined, Croatian Josip Stanisic made it 2-2 at 90+7.

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“We had possibilities to have scored extra objectives earlier than and we did not. However we are going to rating them in Dublin. It is a particular evening,” Xabi Alonso advised RTL.

Within the Bundesliga it has already been topped champion, for the primary time in its historical past. And within the German Cup they’re additionally certified for a last the place they would be the ultra-favorite, since they’ll face Kaiserlautern, from the second division, on Might 25.

Historic evening in Bergamo

Atalanta had by no means managed to qualify for a European last and so they did so this Thursday with a strong 3-0 win over Marseille.

Till now, his finest efficiency in a European match was the semifinals he had reached in 1988 within the now defunct European Cup Winners’ Cup.

He solely has one essential title on his report, the 1963 Italian Cup.

That would change within the coming days, since even earlier than the Europa League last, Atalanta will play one other last on Wednesday of subsequent week, the Italian Cup, in opposition to Juventus.

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The Nigerian Ademola Lookman (thirtieth minute) and Matteo Ruggeri (52nd) managed to get the sport again on monitor for the Italian workforce. Malian El Bilal Touré (90+4) already made it 3-0 in last stoppage time, when Marseille was resigned.

“We’ll see what occurs within the last. Now we now have to benefit from the current, this second,” Ruggeri declared on the finish of the match.

Mendilibar elimina a Emery

Within the Convention League, the duel of Spanish coaches in one of many semifinals was gained by José Luis Mendilibar’s Olympiakos in opposition to Unai Emery’s Aston Villa.

The Greeks gained 2-0 at residence, ending the job began with their 4-2 first leg victory in England.

The hero of Olympiakos’ qualification is undoubtedly the Moroccan Ayoub El Kaabi, who scored a hat trick within the first leg and scored each objectives for his workforce this Thursday within the second leg (minutes 10 and 78).

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“Olympiakos deserve it. We misplaced this tie with the defeat we suffered at residence,” Emery resigned.

Olympiakos’ success is historic as it’s the first time that the membership, champion of Greece on 47 events, has reached the ultimate of a European competitors.

The one Greek workforce that had achieved this was Panathinaikos, which misplaced the ultimate of the European Cup (present Champions League) in 1971 in opposition to Ajax Amsterdam.