Bayer Leverkusen: Alonso rotated wildly
It was not for nothing that Alonso slipped into the role of warning before kick-off. The lead is of course good, “but it can be dangerous,” warned the Spaniard. After all, the Romans had “nothing to lose, and we have everything to lose.” His starting eleven was all the more surprising.
Florian Wirtz, who was recently slightly injured, initially sat on the bench, and Alonso unexpectedly brought in Adam Hlozek – and, as in the first leg, no real striker. In total, he changed to six positions compared to the Bundesliga success at Eintracht Frankfurt (5:1).
However, this did not change the approach. After Leverkusen had despaired of the Romans’ wall tactics last year, the Italians started off more offensively this time. After the dangerous shots from Romelu Lukaku (4th) and Lorenzo Pellegrini (17th), Leverkusen took control.
With creativity, speed and determination, Leverkusen created chance after chance in a heated duel, but Alonso’s team sometimes carelessly let a clear lead slip. Exequiel Palacios hit the post (29th), and Amine Adli and Hlozek were denied within a few seconds by the outstanding goalkeeper Mile Svilar (39th).
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Without any need, Leverkusen suddenly gave the guests hope. National player Jonathan Tah tore Bayer loanee Sardar Azmoun to the ground, Paredes safely converted the penalty – and thus turned the previous game on its head.
Wirtz remained on the bench after the break and Bayer continued to look for a way forward despite the deficit. Adli (54th), Jonas Hofmann (59th) and Hlozek (61st) missed a goal despite other top-class players.
The penalty for negligence in exploiting the chances followed: Hlozek had the ball bounced to his hand after a corner, referee Danny Makkelie pointed to the spot according to the video images and Paredes stayed cool again. Adli narrowly failed again just a little later (73′). In the final phase, Alonso brought Wirtz on, and a little later the ball was in the Romans’ net for the first time.