Europa League: Leverkusen Close To Final After Defeating Roma, Atalanta Held By Marseille

Bayer Leverkusen has taken a significant step towards the Europa League final, securing a 2-0 victory against Roma in the semi-final first leg at the Stadio Olimpico. The match on Thursday saw Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz and Robert Andrich scoring crucial goals, putting their team in a commanding position for the return leg. A costly mistake by Roma's Rick Karsdorp enabled Wirtz to open the scoring, capitalizing on an error to net the ball into an empty goal. Despite Roma showing signs of improvement in the second half, Andrich's stunning strike from 25 yards out ensured Leverkusen's lead was doubled.

Roma had a chance to reduce the deficit in stoppage time, but Tammy Abraham missed a close-range header, leaving Roma with a mountain to climb in the upcoming second leg. Leverkusen's unbeaten streak now extends to 47 matches across all competitions for the 2023-24 season, comprising 39 wins and eight draws. This impressive run positions them as strong contenders for reaching the final in Dublin.

Florian Wirtz's goal marked his 12th in the competition, making him the second player to achieve this feat before turning 21, following Dieter Müller's record for Cologne in 1975. This milestone underscores Wirtz's significant impact in Leverkusen's European campaign.

In another semi-final clash, Atalanta and Marseille ended their first leg in a 1-1 draw at the Stade Velodrome. Atalanta's Gianluca Scamacca opened the scoring early in the game, continuing his impressive form from the previous round. However, Marseille's Chancel Mbemba equalized with a long-range effort that found its way into the net, setting up a finely poised return leg in Bergamo.

The draw leaves both teams with everything to play for in their quest to reach the final. Scamacca's goal adds to his tally, making him one of the few Italian players to score six or more goals in a single Europa League season, joining the likes of Giuseppe Rossi, Mario Balotelli, and Ciro Immobile.

As both semi-final ties head into their decisive second legs, teams will be looking to secure their place in the final showdown in Dublin. Leverkusen's strong position and unbeaten run make them favourites, but as football often shows, anything can happen when it comes down to crucial European nights.