AExuberant mood at Bayer: Leverkusen captain Lukas Hradecky promised a celebratory bus ride back after reaching the semi-finals in the Europa League. “I know our bus driver, he must have gotten something. I think five beers are allowed,” said the 33-year-old after the 4-1 (2-0) win in the second leg of the quarterfinals at Union Saint-Gilloise.
After the final whistle, the Bayer pros celebrated the first European semi-final in 21 years with their fans. “The party mood is great. We are very proud. We’re extremely happy and we’ll celebrate tonight,” said central defender Jonathan Tah, who was once again strong. “I don’t really like drinking alcohol myself, but Lukas is welcome to have a beer or two for me.”
Alonso “very relaxed”
On Sunday (5.30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Bundesliga and on DAZN) the next important game for the Werkself is coming up, with Leipzig coming to Leverkusen as a direct competitor in the fight for international places. “One or the other beer is fine, but the football experience is also hard, Sunday it goes on. Not too much,” warned sporting director Simon Rolfes.
However, coach Xabi Alonso was “quite relaxed”, assured Hradecky: “He used to be a player too. In the end, everyone has to know for themselves how much they can drink.”
Bayer now face AS Roma in the semifinals. Their star coach, José Mourinho, gave the cheer in the final seconds of a rousing game against Feyenoord Rotterdam. “An epic comeback,” wrote the Italian Gazzetta dello Sport after the 4-1 triumph. “Rome come back and overwhelm Feyenoord in extra time,” says La Stampa.
The Italians lost the first leg of the Europa League quarter-finals 0-1 in Rotterdam. At home in the second leg on Thursday, just before the end of regular time, they were already on the verge of being eliminated – with the score being 1-1.
In the 89th minute, however, Argentinian Paulo Dybala made it 2-1. In extra time, Stephan El Shaarawy (101st) and former Frankfurt professional Luca Pellegrini (108th) scored to make it into the semi-finals. Bayer Leverkusen is now waiting there.
“We all want to win. Mourinho told us that this would be the game,” said Dybala: “The extra time was ours.” The South American wrote a little later on Twitter: “Keep it up, magical Roma.” The official UEFA Europa League live ticker awarded the Game even the title “incredible drama”.
After a good half hour things got so busy that Mourinho’s assistant coach got a red card. Salvatore Foti had previously physically attacked a Feyenoord player in the neck. Shortly before the end of extra time, visiting professional Santiago Giménez was sent off.
Around the Olympic Stadium, the police wanted to prevent fan riots before and after the game with a large contingent. 1,500 officials had been assigned to intensify checks at train stations, airports and motorway access roads, among other things. Visiting fans had been banned from entering the stadium by the Ministry of the Interior.
Ticket sales for the home game against Leverkusen on May 11 (9 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Europa League and on RTL) started on Thursday evening, as Roma announced on their website. The second leg in Leverkusen is on May 18th.