Historic record and another magical evening for Leverkusen, who reach the final with Atalanta

On Thursday evening (May 9) the Europa League finalists who will meet in Dublin on May 22 were decided. Leverkusen drew AS Roma in extra-time, with the Italians 2-0 up from the 66th minute, while Atalanta got past Marseille without much excitement, with the French losing on aggregate in Bergamo.

Xabi Alonso’s side set a historic record: Unbeaten this season, Leverkusen extended their unbeaten streak to 49 matches – the longest in European football history. The Germans therefore broke the successful performance of Eusebio’s Benfica, who between 1963 and 1965 were unbeaten for 48 games.

The Germans will play in the final in Dublin in the company of another team from Italy, Atalanta.

Lukaku gave the first signal at the goal of the Czech Kovar since the beginning of the game. The Germans’ reply came through Palacios, whose shot was intercepted by Svilar.

It was then Kovar’s turn to intervene in Pellegrini’s execution.

After half an hour of play, Palacios hit the post of Svilar’s goal, while Frimpong was denied by the Italians’ Serbian goalkeeper.

The rough entries and tensions between the players of the two teams also stood out, with center Danny Makkelie showing a total of no less than 5 yellow cards in the first half alone.

The score would finally be changed with just 4 minutes left in the first half after Jonathan Tah was fouled inside the box, leading to centre-back Makkelie pointing the spot-kick.

From 11 meters, Leandro Paredes shot across the center and gave Danielle De Rossi’s Italians the lead.

The duel between the goalkeepers continued in the second half. In turn, Kovar and Svilar opposed the executions coming from Cristante and Hofmann, respectively.

In the end, the first goalkeeper to concede was also Kovar, who was again beaten from the penalty spot by the same Paredes, at which point the VAR intervened and awarded another penalty kick for Roma after a hands in which Hlozek committed.

The game looked set to go into extra time, but an unfortunate deflection by Mancini (83) meant that the Germans, although leading, took the lead again en route to the final.

As we have already become accustomed to this season, the Germans’ equalizing goal came in the last minute of overtime, with Stanisic as the author.

The Italians signed the biggest chances after the first 25 minutes. Notable chances to score were had by Scamacca and De Ketelaere. The first was denied by the crossbar, while another header, this time by the Belgian midfielder, was denied by goalkeeper Lopez.

The goal would eventually come after a successful own move by Ademola Lookman, the Nigerian winger also having a chance after his shot was deflected slightly by Gigot and stopped in Lopez’s goal.

Marseille’s Spanish goalkeeper kept his side in the game after making another save following a De Ketelaere run-in.

At the start of the second half, the Bergamo side scored a fine goal following a combination between Lookman and Matteo Ruggeri, the 21-year-old Italian beating Lopez with a superb shot to net his second goal as well from this season in all competitions.

From set-piece Veretout also came close to scoring spectacularly in Musso’s goal, the Argentinian goalkeeper caught by surprise when the ball stopped on the crossbar.

In extra time, a counterattack by the Bergamo players led to the 3rd goal, scored by El Bilal Toure. Gasperini’s team therefore achieves a historic performance, being the first time in history that Atalanta reaches a European final, where the Italians will face Leverkusen.